1. Organ reproduction: A type of bud is produced from the base of the stem of Cycas. Cutting the bud and transplanting it into a full grown Cycas tree. Besides, bulbils are formed from the axis of the leaf. Bulbils produce new seedlings.
2. Sexual reproduction: Cycas are dioecious and unisexual plants. Their male plants produce spores or microspores and female plants produce spores or megaspores. Microspores are located in microsporophylls and megaspores are located in megasporophylls. The microsporophylls together form the strobilus or staminate or cone. Megasporophylls form a crown without forming a strobilus.
(i) Microsporophyll: Cycas plants have spike-shaped strobilus at the apex (50 cm). Stamen strobilus is surrounded by numerous sporangia or microsporophylls. Microsporophylls are 3-5 cm long and 12-23 mm wide. The microsporophylls are spirally and densely arranged. It is flat, thick and scaly. Its base is narrow and its tip is wide. Anteriorly there is a triangular apophysis. Each microsporophyll contains numerous sporangia. 2-5 sporangia together form a sorus. Inside the sporangium is the spore mother cell. Each spore mother cell divides by the process of meiosis to produce spores or microspores. Microspores produce sperm. Spermatozoa of Cycas are Latim-like, multi-flagellated and the largest in the plant kingdom.
(ii) Megasporophyll: The megasporophylls of Cycas are leaf-like, hairy and brown in colour. Together they form the crown. The upper part of megasporophyll is called pinnule. At its base are 2-4 pairs of large and red ovules. The megasporophyll with the ovule looks like a snake’s hood. It is called Sarpamani (sold as Sarpamani in the market). Inside the ovum are the female cells. Spore mother cells divide by meiosis to produce spores or megaspores. Archegonia are formed from the female sperm. Ovules develop inside the archegonium. Archegonium is the original characteristic of Cycus.
(iii) Fertilization: The spores of Cycas are airborne and fall on the ovules of the female plant. Anthers or pollen tubes are formed from the protozoa. Sperm are produced inside the anther. Sperm and egg unite to form zygote. Zygote develops into seed. The seeds are juicy, orange or red in color. The seed germinates and produces a new plant.
The ovules are arranged on both sides at the base of megasporophyll of Cycus. The megasporophyll with the ovule looks like a snake’s hood. It is called Sarpamani. In various places, snake gems are sold as medicine for all diseases. Actually it has no medicinal properties. As a result common people are being cheated or deprived.