Cycas media R.Br.

Stems to 3 (-6) m tall. Leaves 70-230 cm long, slightly keeled or flat in section (opposing pinnae inserted at 140-180° on rachis), with 160-300 pinnae, mid-green to dark green, semi-glossy to highly glossy. Petiole 30-70 cm long, spinescent for 10-80% of length. Median pinnae 13-24 cm long, 5-10 mm wide, narrowed to 2.5-4.5 mm at base (to 30-50% of maximum width), inserted at 45-75° to rachis, 7-13 mm apart, glabrous; margins slightly to distinctly recurved; midrib flat above, raised below. Cataphylls linear, pungent, 6-12 cm long. Pollen cones ovoid, 15-25 cm long, 8-15 cm diam., orange to orange-brown. Microsporophyll lamina 25-33 mm long, 8-12 mm wide; apical spine 6-10 mm long. Megasporophylls 20-37 cm long, with 4-10 ovules; lamina narrowly triangular to ovate, 35-100 mm long, 17-32 mm wide, regularly dentate with 18-32 lateral spines 4-10 mm long and 1-3 mm wide; apical spine 15-45 mm long. Seeds 31-39 mm long, 26-35 mm wide.

A tropical plant. It prefers light to medium well-drained soil. It needs a protected sunny position. They are drought tender and frost hardy to light frosts. They need a temperature above 13°C. Trunks can resist fire and will regrow new leaves. It cannot tolerate bad drainage or deep shade. In the Cairns Botanical Gardens. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.

CAUTION: The seeds are very poisonous. They cause liver damage. They have been processed and eaten by aboriginal people. The trunks have also been used to extract starch which was eaten.

Plants are grown from seed. Seed are slow to germinate. They can be transplanted. If large plants are transplanted they take a year or more to re-establish.