Lepidozamia

Lepidozamia peroffskyana

Lepidozamia is a genus of cycads ( Cycadales ). The genus name is derived from the Greek lepidos ( " scaly " ) and refers to the scaly leaf bases, which cover the trunk. Both species are listed on Appendix II of the Washington Convention ( CITES).

Features

The tribes are tree-like, usually unbranched. Lepidozamia hopei is 17.5 m, the highest known cycads. The leaf bases are retained and form the Cataphyllen at the root of a regular pattern.

The pinnate leaves are simple, curved, shiny dark to medium green, unarmed. The leaflets are sickle-shaped and hang slightly. They are entire, reduced to the base and tip of the blade to something but never thorny.

The female cones are individually, are ovate, erect, nearly sessile and short brown hair. The outward facing side of the sporophyll is bent, turning the tip often upwards. A sharp thorn like Macrozamia missing. The seeds are large, usually two per sporophyll, rarely three. The male cones are individually, are elliptical, almost sitting and upright, until the pollen is scattered, then prostrate. The entire surface is covered with dense hair light brown.

The chromosome number is 2n = 18

Dissemination and locations

The genus is endemic to Australia and is found in the tropical and subtropical coastal areas of Queensland and northern New South Wales. Here they grow in wet sclerophyll forest or rainforest from sea level up to 615 m above sea level.

System

The genus was first described in 1857 and, together with the also Australian genus Macrozamia and African Encephalartos the tribe Encephalarteae within the family Zamiaceae.

There are two species in the genus known:

• Lepidozamia hopei (W. Hill ) rule
• Lepidozamia peroffskyana rule

Documents

• Loran M. Whitelock: The Cycads. Timber Press, Portland, OR 2002, ISBN 0-88192-522-5, pp. 244 ff