Macrozamia communis (Burrawang)
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Macrozamia communis or burrawang, a cycad of the family Zamiaceae at Batemans Bay, New South Wales, Australia.
Photograph by AYArktos. License: Public Domain. (view image details)
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Seeds of Macrozamia communis, commonly known as Burrawang, Batemans Bay, New South Wales, Australia
Photograph by AYArktos. License: Public Domain. (view image details)
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BURRAWANG FACTS |
Map is from The Atlas of Living Australia web site, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia License
Common Name
Burrawang
Description
Macrozamia communis is an Australian cycad found on the east coast of New South Wales. It has large glossy, deep-green fern-like (pinnate) leaves about 1m to 2m long. Plants on shallow soils and on rocky ridges usually have a short columnar trunk. On coastal sand dunes, Macrozamia communis usually forms a subterranean caudex with no visible trunk, although some trunked plants are found on sand. The seed cones are produced after fire. Male and female cones are produced on separate plants. Male cones are cylindrical, about 20cm to 45 cm long and 15 cm wide. Female cones are about 20cm wide. The large female cycad seeds are red or yellow when ripe. The seeds of the Burrawang are a source of starch but are poisonous unless treated. The Aboriginal people pulped the seeds and soaked in water for days to remove the toxins, before roasting the pulp for food.
Habitat
The Burrawang grows in woodland and open forest
Distribution
Macrozamia communis is found in coastal New South Wales and eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range. It is the most common cycad in New South Wales. The range extends from around Taree on the mid-north coast to near Bega on the south coast.
Growth Characteristics
Height: 3m
Spread: 3m
Propagation
Propagation of this cycad is from seed which germinates easily without pretreatment.
Classification
| Class: | Cycadopsida | | Order: | Cycadales | | Family: | Zamiaceae | | Genus: | Macrozamia | | Species: | communis | | Common Name: | Burrawang |
Relatives in same Genus
Macrozamia johnsonii
Macrozamia macdonnellii
Macrozamia miquelii
Macrozamia moorei
Macrozamia riedlei
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