Lepidozamia.
Division Cycadophyta > Order Cycadales > Family Zamiaceae.
There are 2 surviving species both endemic to Australa and found in Queensland – L. hopei and L. peroffskyana.
They are commonly cultivated.
Leaves are pinnately divided.
The leaflets are inserted along the centre of the upper surface of the midrib.
(Dioon, Encephalartos and Macrozamia species all have the leaflets inserted on the sides of the midrib.)
The cylindrical trunk is often covered by persistent leaf bases and in L. hopei it sometimes branches.
At the crown are alternating layers of leaves, up to 3 m long, and small scale leaves (cataphylls).
When young they are covered in hairs.
Leaves are spirally arranged and once divided into leaflets that are not reduced to spines at the base.
- Leaflets of L. peroffskyana are only up to 14 mm wide with up to 14 parallel veins.
- Leaflets of L. hopei are larger being 17 to 30 mm wide and having over 14 parallel veins.
Male and female cones have no stalk and the sporophylls are spirally arranged.
Male and female sporophylls have broad ends with tips that are curved downwards and the outer surface is hairy.
Seeds have a red coating.
J.F.
