Cycads are an ancient plant group. The first cycads appeared 28 million years ago, during the Permian era. Cycads were common during the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous, 250 to 65 million years ago, the same time dinosaurs and pterosaurs roamed the earth. Modern cycads appeared during the last 65 million years.

The cycads that survived the extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs 65 years ago would have found a much changed world to recolonise. This would have seen changes to the few remaining plants as they adapted to survive in their new environment, which resulted in new species evolving. Change and adaptation never stop.