B. serrulata
B. spectabilis
Distribution of Bowenia in Queensland (1).
Common Names
Taxonomic notes
Described 1863. Two described and one undescribed species (1). Sometimes placed in its own family, Boweniaceae. See (2) for a more thorough treatment of systematics.Description
Small, as cycads go. Stem fleshy, branching, subterreanean, naked, tuberous. Taproot tuberous. Separate leaf- and cone-producing branches. New leaves produced singly, coiled like watchsprings. Cataphylls irregular and when present short, flat, scattered among the leaf bases. Leaves erect, arching, bipinnate, one to seven on each rootstock branch, with long, slender petioles, swollen and hairy at the base; pinnae slender, spreading widely; pinnules opposite to alternate on each secondary rachis which itself ends in a terminal pinnule, thin textured, decurrent and stalked at the base, not articulate. Cones terminal on short branches of the rootstock, shortly stalked. Sporophylls peltate, the outer surface shortly hairy and lacking any spine or ornamentation. Seeds radiospermic, the sarcotesta cream to pinkish or purplish (1).Range
Australia: coastal Queensland. Lowlands to moderate elevations or tablelands. Found within or on the fringes of rainforests, on protected slopes in open forest, and in riparian areas. Soils well-structured loams; fires uncommon (1).Big Tree
Small; 2 m tall including leaves? (1).Oldest
Ethnobotany
Leaves are used commercially for decorative purposes. Plants are particularly popular ornamentals because of their small size and shade tolerance (1).Observations
Remarks
Named for G.F. Bowen, first governor of Queensland. Bowenia is first known from Eocene deposits at two localities in eastern Australia (1).Citations
(1) Jones 1993.(2) Johnson 1959 (p.109-113).
[Bowenia] [Stangeriaceae] [home]
This page is from the Gymnosperm Database
URL: http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Canopy/2285/st/bo/index.htm
Edited by Christopher J. Earle
E-mail:earlecj@earthlink.com
Last modified on 11-Jan-1999