MEM 97 C09-Cycads in the Vernacular—A Compendium of Local Names.

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Abstract
We present the ï¬?rst ever worldwide compilation of traditional cycad names and discuss the signiï¬?cance of our ï¬?ndings. Using all available cycad literature and much personal consul-tation, we have compiled a table of scientiï¬?c names, localities, languages, vernacular names, and, where known, translations into English. We have uncovered at least one vernacular name for 146 of the 303 presently known cycad species and a total of 495 vernacular names in 129 languages. Patterns of meaning revealed in our compendium include cycad-palm and cycad-fern homologies, a strong maize analogy (in Mesoamerican countries), toponymic references, allusions to morphological features, non-Western binomial taxonomies, references to local folklore, and references to economic uses of cycad products.