Ask an Expert
 
Big Blue
Junior Boarder
Blog Posts: 0
Forum Posts: 22
Rating: 0ApplaudCriticize
Posted 5 Years, 4 Months ago Link #1
This is a popular and persistent myth. Ask any gardner about insect problems with cycads. Our own potted Stangeria (a cycad) has a persistent problem with scale-insects. There *are* gymnosperms which provide sufficient nutrients for their pests, and and see no reason to think that the same could have been true of extinct species.

You also need to remember that there is a WIDE range of extinct gymnosperms that do not belong to any of the living groups, and for which we have no knowledge about nutritional value. There were also lots of ferns, and apparently some of these ferns occupied the niche now filled by grasses
Further communication on this topic has been disabled.
Squint
Fresh Boarder
Blog Posts: 0
Forum Posts: 13
Rating: 0ApplaudCriticize
Posted 5 Years, 4 Months ago Link #2
Can you suggest a source that might list the approx. caloric values of extanct cycads?

Thank you.
Further communication on this topic has been disabled.
Grokker
Fresh Boarder
Blog Posts: 0
Forum Posts: 15
Rating: 0ApplaudCriticize
Posted 5 Years, 4 Months ago Link #3
No. And that's precisely the problem. I don't even know that anyone's tried to properly quantify it for *living* cycads, let alone figured out how we would be able to do it for extinct plants.
Further communication on this topic has been disabled.
The Content on this site is provided for general information purposes only. Your use of the Content, or any part thereof, is made solely at Your own risk and responsibility. By entering this site you declare you read and agreed to its Terms, Rules & Privacy.
Copyright © 2006 - 2012 Dinosaur Home