Macrozamia lucida
Family: Zamiaceae
What it is like
A small cycad. The trunk is underground. The trunk is 40 cm long and 25 cm across. The young leaves are pale and the 5-40 mature leaves form an erect crown. They are 0.6-1.2 m long by 20-40 cm wide. They are dark green and shiny. They gently arch over. They can be twisted near the tip. The leaf stalk is 20-50 cm long and swollen and woolly at the base. There are 50-100 leaflets on each leaf. The average leaflet is 15-35 cm long by 0.7-1 cm wide. The tip is sharp. The cones are different. The male cone is 12-18 cm long by 3.5-5 cm wide. There are 1-8 on each plant and they are green. The female cones are 12-20 cm long by 6-10 cm wide and they are barrel shaped and green. There are 1-2 on each plant. The seeds are 2-2.5 cm long by 1.5-2 cm wide. They are oval and dark orange.
There are about 25 Macrozamia species.
Where it is found
They grow naturally in SE Queensland in Australia. They occur on protected slopes in coastal areas. They grow in a subtropical climate. It suits hardiness zones 9-11. Mt Cootha Botanical Gardens.
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia (country/location of origin)
How it is used for food
Caution: The seeds are poisonous. They need special processing. The seeds have been eaten after long soaking, grinding, and cooking.
Edible parts
Seeds kernel, nuts