Editing Cycas kennedyana

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[[File:Cycas_kennedyana.jpg|frame|Figure 1. ''C. kennedyana'']]
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===Synonymy:===
''[[Cycas media]]''

<big>''from Palms & Cycads:''</big>

Possibly one of the most intriguing forms of our cycadaceae,
is the variable ''Cycas kennedyana'' named for Sir
A. Kennedy. Every enthusiast studying Australian
indigenous flora, knows just how diverse and variable to
extremes the varieties can be. In our Zamiaceae
''[[Macrozamia miquelii]]''
bears witness to this. It is also apparent in our
Cycadaceae, and some of our newer 'finds' may yet turn out to
be forms of known species. ''Cycas kennedyana'' is no
exception, and to date it appears so varied in appearance at
different localities, that the word affinity should probably
be used when trying to research which one is the 'type'
species.

Approximately 75 kilometres southwest of Bundaberg and
situated in the Burnett Ranges, Mount Perry is probably the
most southern home of a form of ''Cycas kennedyana'' and
according to reports, small colonies of this same type follow
the ranges northward to a more pronounced sighting in the
Many Peaks range south of Gladstone. Other sightings have
been in the Biloela district and again it is found growing
thickly on the slopes of Mount Morgan west of Rockhampton. In
all cases, the nearby species is ''[[Cycas media]]''.
 
The form known as ''Cycas'' Mt. Perry ''sp.'' is apparently
the same as occurs near Gladstone, and despite a few
botanical differences can be assessed affinity
''Cycas kennedyana''.
The narrow caudex and small compact crown distinguish this
plant. The caudex is generally only 10.0-15cm thick and
rises to a height of perhaps 2m. Largest plants observed
between Mt. Perry and Gladstone possibly 3m in height. The
very glaucous crown of fronds rise from the apex in a neat
palmlike crest. The pinnae are blue-grey on both surfaces and
in the male plant the cones are a rusty brown and rather
narrow, 15cm x 10cm. The usual circinate new fronds are very
attractive being fawn in the rachis and light powder blue in
the uncoiling pinnae. The ovules are yellowish brown at
maturity, and have some similarities to ''[[Cycas media]]''.
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The ''Cycas'' from Biloela and again at Mt. Morgan, are
also in the ''C. kennedyana'' group with the Mt. Morgan
being near to the type species; The heavy glaucous coating
being on one surface of the leaf. The leafy crown is larger
and more prominent than the Mt. Perry form. The caudex here
is noticeably thicker and fully developed specimens are
reported to reach 4m in height. The male cones are similar to
the aforementioned species but longer and thicker. Circular
ovules observed were generally 4 to a megasporophyll, and the
head of this is small and acutely pointed, having only tiny
serrations along its edges.

The most northern locality is placed at Bowen. However, I
have found small sightings of a very similar species at
Abergowrie on the west side of the Cardwell Range and also in
sandy wallum near the coast just out of the Cardwell township.
Most of the habitats are in open eucalypt forest generally
on steep hill slopes, or in the valleys adjacent, terrain
being hard and slightly rocky. The exception being the
Cardwell form.

Both the mountain range forms and wallum types are
attractive and seem to settle well into cultivation even in
cooler climates All fronds observed 1.0-1.5m, so the two
metre fronds mentioned by some botanists must have been from
a form north of Rockhampton. These forms also appear to have
longer fronds. Another growth pattern observed on all forms
is that the fronds twist and curve being very flexuous. Old
fronds hang pendant in a ring around the top of the caudex.
One time curator of Cairns Botanical Gardens, Vince Winkel,
reports that while travelling west from Bowen he stumbled on
that elusive range in the Great Divide where
''[[Cycas normanbyana]]'' is said to have first been found, the
Normanby Range the latter ''Cycas'' is still growing there
and also the type specimen of ''Cycas kennedyana'' has
substantial colonies in the range. This form is the taller
one with longer fronds.
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===Contributed by: ===
L. P. Butt from '''Palms & Cycads''' No. 27, Apr-Jun 1990.


===External Links:===
<p>
[https://www.google.com/search?q=%22Cycas+kennedyana%22&amp;num=10&amp;sa=Google+Search Google],
[https://images.google.com/images?q=%22Cycas+kennedyana%22&amp;hl=en&amp;btnG=Google+Search GoogleImages],
[https://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Cycas+kennedyana Flickr],
<p>
[[Category:Cycas|kennedyana]]
[[Category:Cycad|Cycas_kennedyana]]