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Lepidozamia hopei
(W.Hill) Regel
Hope's Cycad
Zamiaceae
Lepidozamia hopei is a very tall, tree-sized cycad in the family Zamiaceae. It is native to the rainforests of Queensland, Australia.
Description
Lepidozamia hopei is one of the tallest cycads, with a trunk that may reach 17.5 m in height and 1.6 m in diameter at the base. Leaves are glossy dark green, pinnate, 2 to 3 m long and 40 to 80 cm wide on adult plants, on a stalk that is 30 to 60 cm long and 3 to 4 cm wide. They have 80 to 100 pairs of leaflets, 20 to 40 cm long at the longest and about 1.5 to 3 cm wide, smaller near the base of the leaf. Leaflets are flat, lanceolate and pointed at the tip, drooping and curved backwards, and with smooth edges. Male (pollen) cones are solitary, more or less cylindrical, 40 to 70 cm tall and 10 to 15 cm wide, on a short, hidden stalk. Sporophylls (cone “scales”) have faces that are broadly wedge shaped and curved, 4 to 6 cm high and 6 to 8 cm wide. Seeds are borne on separate plants. Female cones hold seeds, and are solitary. They are gray-green, ovoid, about 40 to 80 cm long, 20 to 30 cm wide, on a short, hidden stalk. Sporophylls are 5 to 8 cm long, with the main face being 2.5 cm high, 3.5 to 6.5 cm wide, with thin edges often curved at the tip. Seeds are brown, 4 to 6 cm long, 2.5 to 3.5 cm wide, with many longitudinal ridges, and an outer layer (sarcotesta) that is bright red when ripe (Whitelock 2003).
Uses
Note: Please see the disclaimer regarding any information about medical or edible uses.
Distribution
Lepidozamia hopei is found in tropical rainforests, at altitudes of up to 1000 m. It is native to Australia, from the Daintree River near Cooktown, Queensland to Rockingham Bay, near Ingham, Queensland (Whitelock 2003).
Status
Lepidozamia hopei is listed on the IUCN Red List as "Least Concern", because there is a large enough population and has no threats. It is listed in Appendix II of CITES, an international treaty regulating the trade of endangered species (Hill 2010).
References
Hill, K. D. 2010. Lepidozamia hopei. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T41995A10599733.en.
Whitelock, L. M. 2003. The Cycads. Portland: Timber Press.
Whitelock, L. M. 2003. The Cycads. Portland: Timber Press.
Description
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