Cycad Leaf Texture

[ares2101]

I've been looking all over for a good cycad leaf texture for making a new plant, but I can't for the life of me find one anywhere.  Does anybody have one?

[TheBadger]

A plant that looks like this?

http://img.fotocommunity.com/Plants-Fungi-Lichens/Bushes-Shrubs/cycad-leaf-a18182958.jpg

[ares2101]

A plant that looks like this?

http://img.fotocommunity.com/Plants-Fungi-Lichens/Bushes-Shrubs/cycad-leaf-a18182958.jpg

I was more thinking of the types that have stiff and narrow leaflets, you seen them on the big cycad trees.

[PabloMack]

How about this? I saw your post and decided to go for a walk with camera in hand. These plants are about 300 ft. from my house. We recently had a drought here in Texas so they might have suffered a little.

[ares2101]

Yeah, those are the type I'm thinking of.  Real trouble for me is finding ones ready to be used as texture (just leaf on white or black background).

[PabloMack]

These are sort of difficult to photograph even if you did have a leaf by itself. They form a V in cross section and won't lie down flat. You almost have to press them down with a pane of glass then try to avoid any reflections when making your photo. How urgent is your need? Since these are not my plants, the best I can do is to take one after it has fallen or pruned or ask the owner for one. People tend to prune the older leaves and throw them away in neighborhoods around here. They often throw away some very healthy looking ones. If it were April they would be relatively easy to obtain. If I can get one I will photograph it for you.

I am always amused at how popular cycad leaves are for use in services on "Palm Sunday". I have started to call it "Cycad Sunday". People generally don't appreciate the significance of cycads and how ancient they are. A month ago my wife and I attended the annual SVP (Society for Vertebrate Paleontology) in Las Vegas. After the meetings we went on a field trip to Death Valley in California and our driver told us the sad story about "Fossil Cycad National Monument" and how it was totally destroyed by poachers before the government decided to actually do anything about it. Just think about the diversity that could have been discovered but wasn't because of human apathy, incompetence and greed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil_Cycad_National_Monument

Here is an excellent reference for all of you cycad fans. It appears that it may now be out of print.

http://www.amazon.com/Cycads-Loran-M-Whitelock/dp/0881925225/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1323016091&sr=8-2

[ares2101]

It's not urgent, but such a leaf is what I have in mind for an alien plant I want to make.

[bobbystahr]

It's not urgent, but such a leaf is what I have in mind for an alien plant I want to make.

turbosquid has one at least for sale...here's the main link I found if you would consider buying it
http://www.turbosquid.com/FullPreview/Index.cfm/ID/552330