Cycadales

1 9.9

An ancient group of tropical plants that were common when dinosaurs lived

noun
/ˈsaɪkəˌdeɪlz/

Specialized

: Cicadales

Fossils show that Cycadales were abundant during the age of dinosaurs.

Examples

Many species within the Cycadales order are now endangered due to habitat loss.
Some living members of Cycadales are prized as ornamental plants in tropical gardens.
The Cycadales are known for their unique reproductive structures.
Many species of Cycadales thrive in warm climates.
Fossils show that Cycadales were abundant during the age of dinosaurs.
Many species within the Cycadales order are now endangered due to habitat loss.
Some living members of Cycadales are prized as ornamental plants in tropical gardens.

Synonyms

order Cycadales

vsCycadales

Specialized

9.9

A group of ancient tropical seed plants like palms that make cones

is the same concept stated without the explicit taxonomic label

Compounds

order Cycadales

Specialized

9.9

A group of ancient tropical seed plants like palms that make cones

Surface Forms

Cycadales singular

Cycadales plural

Morphology

Cycadales = cycad (semi-transparent) = cycad + ales

Formed from 'cycad' plus the taxonomic suffix '-ales' meaning an order; the relation to 'cycad' is clear but '-ales' is a specialized scientific marker that may be unfamiliar to general learners.

Etymology

Cycadales comes from the Greek root kykas meaning 'palm tree' and the ending -ales which is used for a group or 'order' of plants, so Cycadales means the order of palm-like plants. These are ancient tropical seed plants that look a bit like small palms and were common in the age of dinosaurs.