Lepidozamia
There are two extant species:
There are also two extinct species from the Tertiary of Australia. Described 1857 based on a living plant (L. peroffskyana) in the St. Petersburg Botanical Garden (Jones 1993). A systematic study was done by Johnson (1959).
Large plants with a stout, erect trunk. Notable features include:
Australia: New South Wales and Queensland, near the coast, in rainforest or similarly sheltered forest sites. Soils are well-structured loams (Jones 1993).
L. hopei achieves heights of 20 m and diameters of 50 cm. It is the tallest of cycads (Jones 1993).
Both species are popular ornamentals suitable, when young, for indoor container plantings. The leaves are used for decoration (Jones 1993). Aboriginal use for food is not cited but seems likely in view of the size and local abundance of these plants.
Have seen both species in native habitat. Both are easily located; see species descriptions for details.
First known from Eocene sediments in New South Wales. Propagation is solely from seed, which takes 12 to 24 months to germinate (Jones 1993).
Johnson, L.A.S. 1959. The families of cycads and the Zamiaceae of Australia. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 84:64-117.
Last Modified 2023-03-03