Macrozamia

Post Card From Oz

23 October 1998

From our Queensland, Australia Trip
17 July to 27 November 1998

 
Division: Cycadophyta 
Family: Cycadaceae 
Species: Macrozamia moorei
IN AND AROUND THE EDUCATION CENTER, cycads are common in the grassy understorey. This ancient plant is the symbol for Saddler Springs. The Aboriginal peoples of Australia used this plant as a food source. The seeds of these and other cycads are borne in a large cone and have an orange outer coat. They are poisonous, but the Aborigines knew how to treat them to remove the poison, and so take advantage of the large amount of food provided by a single plant. One of the ways was to cook the seed, break it up, and then soak it for up to three weeks in running water.

Fire MACROZAMIA ARE FIRE TOLERANT. In this region they have to be as graziers periodically burn off the land to increase the growth of native grasses for cattle. Although they seem to contain oils and resins which make them burn rapidly and dramatically as shown here, the trunk and roots remain viable and the plant leafs out again in a matter of months.

Aboriginal peoples also burned the land periodically. In part, they, too, wanted to increase the growth of native grasses so that kangaroos and other game would be available.

The lighting of a Macrozamia has become a tradition on the last night of our stay at Saddlers. Note the figure at the lower left.

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