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Ex situ conservation of the Critically Endangered Cycas orixensis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 November 2025

Anisiya Naorem Open the ORCID record for Anisiya Naorem [Opens in a new window]  and
Jibankumar Singh Khuraijam Open the ORCID record for Jibankumar Singh Khuraijam [Opens in a new window]
Anisiya Naorem
Affiliation:
Botanic Garden, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute , Lucknow, India Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research , Ghaziabad, India
Jibankumar Singh Khuraijam*
Affiliation:
Botanic Garden, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute , Lucknow, India Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research , Ghaziabad, India
*
(khuraijam.js.nbri@csir.res.in)
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Abstract

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Information

Type
Conservation News
Information
Oryx , First View , pp. 1
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence CC BY 4.0.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Fauna & Flora International

Cycas orixensis (Haines) R. Singh & J.S. Khuraijam is a cycad endemic to the Indian state of Odisha. This arboreous cycad can reach a height of 6 m, has dark green leaves and thrives in the understorey of tropical moist deciduous forests. Our earlier observations revealed that the species is threatened by excessive harvesting of stems with the crown of leaves for religious and cultural rituals, leaves for decorations and seeds for food, and by habitat clearance. These unsustainable practices led to the categorization of C. orixensis as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List in 2023. The population is small and severely fragmented, with < 2,000 mature plants remaining.

In 2024, we collected seeds, saplings and bulbils of C. orixensis from Dhenkanal, Odisha, and transported them to the Botanic Garden of the CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow. The garden has a dedicated Cycad House and an Indian Cycas Garden. In September 2024, seeds of C. orixensis, after the removal of the sarcotesta, were planted in individual pots filled with sand, at ambient temperatures (25–37 °C). By early November 2024, signs of germination could be seen, with the emergence of the radicle, followed by the leaves in early March 2025. The process from the initial radicle and plumule emergence to the unfolding of leaves and transformation into a young sapling required c. 10 months. Saplings and collected bulbils showed new flushing of leaves in March–April and August–September 2025.

The plants raised from seeds are healthy and show signs of new growth. This successful cultivation offers an ex situ method for the conservation of C. orixensis. The saplings could potentially be used for reintroduction or reinforcement. Currently, we are exploring novel methods to safeguard this ancient plant through reproductive, molecular and evolutionary studies.

This is communication number CSIR-NBRI_MS/2025/09/15 of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow.

Well-established Cycas orixensis saplings raised from seeds. Photo: Anisiya Naorem.