Rainforest cycad, Hope's cycad
Lepidozamia hopei

Family: Zamiaceae

What it is like

A large cycad. It has an erect trunk. It can be 20 m tall and 50 cm across. The young leaves are brown and with soft hairs. The mature leaves spread out into a wide crown. They are 2-3 m long by 30-50 cm wide. They are dark green and glossy. The leaf stalk is 30-60 cm long. There are 150-250 leaflets on each leaf. The average leaflet is 30-40 cm long by 1.5-3 cm wide. The cones are different. Male cones are 40-70 cm long by 10-15 cm wide. They are curved. The female cones are 40-80 cm long by 20-30 cm wide. They are broadly oval and grey-green. The seeds are 4-6 cm long by 2.5-4 cm wide. They are oblong and bright orange.

There are 2 living Lepidozamia species. Two others are known from fossil records.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. They grow in rainforest on shady slopes and near streams. They grow in N Queensland from sea level to 1000 m altitude. It suits warm, humid conditions. In the Cairns Botanical Gardens. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia (country/location of origin), Indonesia, SE Asia

How it is used for food

The seeds have been used as food.

Edible parts

Seeds

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. Male and female plants need to be grown close together for seed to be produced. It can be grown from suckers.

Its other names

Local names

Arumba, Sikas harapan, Sikas palem zamia, Wunu

Synonyms

Catakidozamia hopei W. Hill; Macrozamia denisonii var. hopei (W. Hill) J. Schust.; Macrozamia hopei (Regel) W. Hill ex C. Moore;