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What are girdling leaf traces in cycad stems?
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Cycadophyte
Cycas circinalis.
In cycad stems, girdling leaf traces are vascular strands that follow a circuitous, indirect route from the central vascular system to the leaf bases.1
This unique anatomical feature is clearly visible when observing cross sections of a cycad stem. These traces are a defining characteristic of cycad stems and serve as an important diagnostic tool for paleobotanists, as they allow for the distinction between cycad fossils and those of cycadeoids, which do not possess this trait.1