Cycas calcicola
| Cycas calcicola | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Division: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: | |
| Species: | C. calcicola
|
| Binomial name | |
| Cycas calcicola | |
Description
Cycas calcicola is named from latin for calx, latin for lime, and cola, latin for dweller. This plant doe sindeed thrive in limestone areas. Its common names are Zamia bush, zamia palm and ricket bush. The stems are decumbent to erect. Suckering is often seen via pups. Stems grown to 5 m long, 17-30 cm in diameter. Cataphylls soft and triangular, with leaves numerous, dark green, 80-90 cm long, with emergent leaves with silver tomentose. Leaflets in 100-140 pairs, with silver tomentose. Basal leaflets are spines, and all are slightly angled forward.
Female cones open, sporophylls loose, 12-18 cm long. Brown tomentose present, becoming glabrous. 4-6 ovules per sporophyll. Lamina elliptical or rhombic. Sarcotesta brown-orange, sclerotesta short ovoid to globular, shallow grooves covering surface of it. Male cones solitary and erect, narrow ovoid in shape. 17-30 cm long, 5-7 cm in diameter. Sporophylls 15-25 mm.
Habitat
Native to Northern Territory, Australia. This cycad grows in hot, dry, limestone derived outcroppings in association with Eucalyptus and Livistona. Fonud near the East Alligator Creek and near Bamboo Creek near Darwin, Northern Territory. The presence of dense tomentose across the leaflets and leaves creates optical illusions of changing color, much like velour. Stems are contractile, an adaptation to seasonal fires common to its native area. The plant seems to produce new foliage after fires destroy old foliage, and cones seem to be produced soon after the burns. This is a similar trait to other cycas genus members of Northern Territory.
References
Whitelock, L. M. (2002). The Cycads. Portland, OR: Timber Press