Macrozamia riedlei
Encyclopedia
Macrozamia riedlei is a species of plant
in the Zamiaceae
family. It is endemic to Western Australia
.
Found on lateritic soils and in Jarrah
forests.
The nuts from the palm have been successfully utilised as food by Indigenous Australians - however eaten raw by European explorers incurred poisoning:-
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
in the Zamiaceae
Zamiaceae
The Zamiaceae are a family of cycads that are superficially palm or fern-like. They are divided into two subfamilies with eight genera and about 150 species in the tropical and warm temperate regions of Africa, Australia and North and South America....
family. It is endemic to Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
Found on lateritic soils and in Jarrah
Jarrah
Eucalyptus marginata is one of the most common species of Eucalyptus tree in the southwest of Western Australia. The tree and the wood are usually referred to by the Aboriginal name Jarrah...
forests.
The nuts from the palm have been successfully utilised as food by Indigenous Australians - however eaten raw by European explorers incurred poisoning:-
- Reported cases of poisoning from the Zamia palm are perhaps the earliest for any local plant. Zamia is mentioned as causing sickness in men eating the seeds by Vlaming in 1697, La Perouse in 1788, Flinders in 1801, and Sir George Grey in 1839. (Gardner and Bennetts p.5.)
External links
- Hill, K.D. 2003. Macrozamia riedlei. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 22 August 2007.