Cycas have two types of leaves at the top of the stem. Leaflets and invoices.
(i) Leaves or Compound: Leaves are simple, green, smooth, large and pinnately compound. It is spirally arranged at the tip of the stem and forms a crown-like structure. Rackets contain 50-100 pairs or 100-200 leaflets. The leaves are obtuse, thick and leathery. Its length is 1.0-2.7 m. The mature leaves have a midvein, the veins and subveins are indistinct. Immature and young leaves are coiled like ferns. This condition is called sarcinate vernation.
(ii) Sepals: Sepals are small and covered with brown hairs. It is alternately furnished with foliage. It covers the bud of compound leaves.
Cycas leaves have some similarities with the leaves of palm plants and ferns. Hence Cycas is called pumpfern.