Cycas rumphii Miq.

Pakis haji (Cycas rumphii) is a cycad up to 10 meters tall from the Cycadaceae family, a plant native to Indonesia thought to originate from Maluku, now classified as 'Near Threatened' by the IUCN after losing 20% of its habitat over 50 years. Its young leaves and seeds are processed into food after special detoxification, while its trunk produces sago flour. Pakis haji is traditionally used as a wound poultice and fever remedy.

Pakis haji is often found growing along ocean coasts, inland on soil substrates with limestone and sand, forests at low elevations (up to 200 m asl), in hot tropical and subtropical regions. This plant prefers a sunny position, but tolerates and succeeds in shade. Its growth requires strong loamy soil with sharp sand and good drainage.

• Roots have a coralloid root structure. These roots branch from the taproot or secondary roots.
• Stem sturdy, woody, crown round and symmetrical. Monopodial branching, upright growth direction. Sometimes branched. Bark gray, splitting into diamond and rectangular shapes.
• Leaves pinnately compound, large, leaf length 1.5-2.5 m, hard and stiff, green, gathered at the top of the trunk forming a rosette, numerous. Leaflets 20-30 cm long, about 1 cm wide, tapering leaf base, tapering leaf tip, smooth margin, prominent midrib, smooth and glossy surface, numbering 45-90 on each side of the rachis.
• Flowers united in a cone, female terminal cone with many carpophylls, up to 50 cm.
• Fruit smooth, ovate to elliptical.
• Seeds flattened, ovate-elliptical, orange.

• Propagation is done generatively (seeds). Soak seeds first for 24 hours in warm water before sowing.
• Germination usually occurs within 1-3 months at 25 °C.
• Young roots are quite fragile and once germination occurs, roots grow quickly so seedling placement is important to give them adequate root space.

Resin, cycasin, β-glycosidase, amentoflavone, podocarpusflavone A, 2,3-dihydroamentoflavone, 2,3-dihydrohinokiflavone, isoginkgetin, bilobetin.

Poultice for wounds and swelling, treats bloating and vomiting, boils, snake and insect bites, malignant ulcers, headaches, sore throat, coughs, colds, gynecological disorders, tuberculosis, fever, has anodyne (pain-relieving) and aphrodisiac properties.

Buah raja (Maluku), Pakis raja.