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How old are the earliest known cycad fossils?
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Gymnosperm
Pine cone and exposed seeds of the pinyon pine (Pinus edulis). Pinyon pines are gymnosperms and bear their edible seeds, known as pine nuts, in protective cones instead of fruit.
The earliest remains of undisputed cycads date back to the Triassic Period, which occurred approximately 251.9 to 201.3 million years ago.1
While these represent the oldest confirmed fossils, some problematic forms have been identified from the Paleozoic Era. Additionally, there is evidence suggesting that cycads may have been present during the Carboniferous Period, as fragmentary fossils from that time have been linked to the group. The first cycads are generally considered to have appeared during the Permian Period.12