Species profile—Macrozamia cranei

Classification

Plantae (plants) → Equisetopsida (land plants) → Zamiaceae → Macrozamia cranei

Species details

Kingdom

Plantae (plants)

Class

Equisetopsida (land plants)

Family

Zamiaceae

Scientific name

Macrozamia cranei D.L.Jones & P.I.Forst.

WildNet taxon ID

6478

Alternate name(s)

Crane's macrozamia

Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA) status

Endangered

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) status

Endangered

Conservation significant

Yes

Confidential

Yes

Endemicity

Native

Pest status

Nil

Short Notes

Gymnosperm, two sheets plus carpological

Description

Macrozamia cranei has an underground stem up to 25cm in diameter with a sparse, crown of 1-5 erect leaves. Leaves are 70-90 cm long, shiny and hairless except for fawn to grey-brown wool at the base. Each leaf has 100-150 leaflets arranged along a strongly twisted (3-6 times) rachis (central stalk). The moderately thick leaflets are 7-30cm long by 2-7mm wide, shiny, dark green above, and a dull, grey-green underneath. The tips of the leaflets are asymmetrical with a yellow tip, and the leaflet bases are greenish to greenish-white and slightly thickened.
M. cranei reproduce by cones which are somewhat pineapple-like in appearance. Male and female cones develop on separate plants. Male cones are more or less cylindrical, 8-22cm long and 2.5-5.5cm in diameter. Female cones are ovoid (egg-shaped), 8-13cm long and 4.5-5.5cm in diameter. Seeds are ovoid (egg-shaped), 2-2.5cm long by 1.8-2.2cm in diameter and are orange to red when ripe.
Macrozamia cranei is most similar to M. occidua but is distinguished by the narrow glossy leaflets. (Jones & Forster 1994; Halford 1997; Hill 1998)

Map

View Map

Habitat

Macrozamia cranei occurs on hilly terrain between 400-650m above sea level. It grows on steep ridges in shallow, skeletal soil, among granite and limestone rocks and along seasonal/temporary watercourses. The species has been recorded in open forest communities and in fragmented semi-evergreen vine thicket. (Halford 1997)

Behaviour

Beetles effect cross-pollination between individual plants in an obligate mutualism . The habitat of Macrozamia cranei is rarely burnt due to low fuel loads within its habitat. (Halford 1997; Queensland Herbarium 2007)

Reproduction

Mature cones have been recorded on Macrozamia cranei from October to November. Ripe seeds have been recorded from February to March. The cones may not be annual when conditions are unfavourable. (Halford 1997)

Predators

All species of Macrozamia contain toxins which can cause debilitating symptoms or death if ingested in sufficient quantities by many mammals. (Halford 1997)

Management documents

Conservation and management of protected plants in trade in Queensland 1995-1998. Department of Environment.
Queensland Herbarium (2007). National Multi-species Recovery Plan for the cycads, Cycas megacarpa, Cycas ophiolitica, Macrozamia cranei, Macrozamia lomandroides, Macrozamia pauli-guilielmi and Macrozamia platyrhachis. Report to Department of the Environment and Water Resources, Canberra. Environmental Protection Agency, Brisbane.

Notes

Contributors: Paul Forster, Ailsa Holland, Mellisa Mayhew 18/06/2009

References

Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (2008). Macrozamia cranei in Species Profile and Threats Database, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Canberra. Accessed 08/10/2008.
Halford, D. (1997). Macrozamia cranei, in Species Management Manual. Department of Natural Resources, Brisbane.
Herbrecs (2008). Macrozamia cranei, in BriMapper version 2.12. Queensland Herbarium. Accessed 08/10/2008.
Hill, K.D. in McCarthy, P.M. (Ed) (1998). Flora of Australia 48: 656.
Jones, D.L. & Forster, P.I. (1994). Seven new species of Macrozamia section Parazamia (Miq.) Miq. (Zamiaceae section Parazamia) from Queensland. Austrobaileya 4(2): 273.
Queensland Herbarium (2007). National Multi-species Recovery Plan for the cycads, Cycas megacarpa, Cycas ophiolitica, Macrozamia cranei, Macrozamia lomandroides, Macrozamia pauli-guilielmi and Macrozamia platyrhachis. Report to Department of the Environment and Water Resources, Canberra. Environmental Protection Agency, Brisbane. http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/publications/pubs/cycads.pdf

Profile author

Paul Forster (18/06/2009)

Other resources

• Species Profile and Threats Database (SPRAT)
• The Australasian Virtual Herbarium (AVH)
• Atlas of Living Australia

Data source

This profile data is sourced from the QLD Wildlife Data API using the Get species by ID function used under CC-By 4.0.
https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/species/?op=getspeciesbyid&taxonid=6478.

This information is sourced from the WildNet database managed by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science.