Cycas calcicola

Cycas calcicola
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Cycadophyta
Class:	Cycadopsida
Order:	Cycadales
Family:	Cycadaceae
Genus:	Cycas
Species:	C. calcicola
Binomial name
Cycas calcicola Maconochie

Cycas calcicola is a species of cycad in the genus Cycas, native to northern Australia in the northwest of Northern Territory.

The stems are erect, 2-5 m tall and 16-22 cm diameter. The leaves are variably deep green and glabrous to white tomentose above, and persistently white tomentose below, 60-130 cm long, pinnate, with 210-410 leaflets. The leaflets are 5-12 cm long and 2-4 mm wide, and lie flat either side of the leaf stem (not in a 'v'-shape like most other Cycas species). The petioles are 18-30 cm long, and armed with sharp spines at the base.

The female cones are open, with sporophylls 12-18 cm long, with four to six ovules per sporophyll. The lamina is lanceolate, with spined dentate margins and an apical spine. The sarcotesta is orange-brown, the sclerotesta short ovoid to globular, with a network of shallow grooves. The male cones are solitary, narrow ovoid, 25-30 cm long and 5-7 cm diameter, brown, the sporophylls 25-30 mm long with an upturned apical spine.

Habitat

This cycad grows in a hot, dry, climate, often in association with Eucalyptus and Livistona. It was first found on limestone soil, from which the name calcicola "lime-dwelling" derives, but is not confined to limestone, also occurring on soils derived from sandstone and schist.

References

• Cycad Pages: Cycas calcicola
• IUCN Redlist: Cycas calcicola
• Whitelock, L. M. (2002). The Cycads. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon.