Cycads are plants which are often confused with ferns or palms, but are closely related to neither.
It is easy to see why the mix-up arises. Tree ferns, palms, and cycads all have a central trunk topped by a whorl of leaves, usually without any side branches. The leaves of cycads, many ferns, and many palms have a central stalk or rachis flanked by rows of narrow leaflets on both sides. But these similarities are deceptive. Because their seeds are borne in cones, the closest living relatives of cycads are evergreen coniferous trees like pines, spruces, and firs.