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Bowenia spectabilis
Hook.
Bowenia
Stangeriaceae
Bowenia spectabilis is a unique species of cycad in the family Stangeriaceae. It is endemic to the coastal rainforests of Queensland, Australia.
Description
Bowenia spectabilis is a low-growing cycad; its stems are underground and tuberous. Bipinnate leaves arise from the stems and are relatively large, 1 to 2 m tall and horizontally spreading to 1 to 2 m long and 1 to 1.5 m wide. The leafstalk is 0.5 to 1 m long, 3 to 8 mm thick, mostly spineless. Each leaf has 4 to 10 leaflets that have 9 to 15 pairs of subleaflets. The subleaflets are bright green maturing to dark green, 10 to 15 cm long, 1.5 to 5 cm wide. Subleaflets are thin, lanceolate and falcate (curved forwards), with usually smooth margins. Male (pollen) cones grow out of the ground on a 3 to 4 cm long stalk. They are cylindrical, 5 to 10 cm tall, 2 to 2.5 cm wide, and are green, but show their white or cream interiors when shedding pollen. Meanwhile, female cones are solitary, 8 to 10 cm long, 6.5 to 10 cm wide, rounder, and also growing out of the ground. Each cone has 22 to 90 seeds and hexagonal sporophylls that look like scales. The sporophylls are green on the outside but again have whitish interiors. Seeds are 2 to 3 cm long and 1.5 to 2 cm wide, white maturing to brown-purple from April to June (Whitelock 2003).
Bowenia spectabilis and one other species, Bowenia serrulata, are the only two species in their genus, both endemic to Queensland, Australia. They are unique among cycads for having bipinnate, occasionally tripinnate leaves. Bowenia serrulata is found more to the south near Rockhampton, Australia. While it has serrated, not smooth leaf margins, it cannot easily be distinguished from this species except by range. Both are pollinated entirely by insects (Wilson 2004).
Bowenia spectabilis and one other species, Bowenia serrulata, are the only two species in their genus, both endemic to Queensland, Australia. They are unique among cycads for having bipinnate, occasionally tripinnate leaves. Bowenia serrulata is found more to the south near Rockhampton, Australia. While it has serrated, not smooth leaf margins, it cannot easily be distinguished from this species except by range. Both are pollinated entirely by insects (Wilson 2004).
Uses
Note: Please see the disclaimer regarding any information about medical or edible uses.
Distribution
Bowenia spectabilis is found scattered in open areas in rainforests or rainforest edges, at an elevation of up to 700 m. It is native to the northeast coast of Queensland, Australia, from Rockingham Bay to Cooktown (Whitelock 2003).
Status
Bowenia spectabilis is listed on the IUCN Red List as "Least Concern", as the small amount of habitat loss is not enough to put the species at major risk. It is listed in Appendix II of CITES, an international treaty regulating the trade of endangered species (Hill 2010).
References
Hill, K. D. 2010. Bowenia spectabilis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T41980A10591113.en.
Whitelock, L. M. 2003. The Cycads. Portland: Timber Press.
Wilson, G. W. 2004. The Biology and Systematics of Bowenia Hook ex. Hook f. (Stangeriaceae: Bowenioideae) [thesis]. North Queensland: James Cook University.
Whitelock, L. M. 2003. The Cycads. Portland: Timber Press.
Wilson, G. W. 2004. The Biology and Systematics of Bowenia Hook ex. Hook f. (Stangeriaceae: Bowenioideae) [thesis]. North Queensland: James Cook University.
Description
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