Macrozamia concinna

Figure 1. M. concinna in habitat.

M. concinna was described and named in 1998 by David Jones, when it was recognised as a separate and distinct species. It had previously been identified under the M. pauli-guilielmi umbrella as a sub-species (M. pauli-guilielmi ssp. plurinervia). It was named after its neat and trim appearance.

Distribution Range:

The distribution range for M. concinna extends from the Upper Hunter Valley north to the Nundle/Hanging Rock region.

Habitat Conditions:

M. concinna usually grows on steep hillsides and slopes at high altitudes, ranging from 800 to 1,200 m. It normally grows under a eucalypt canopy, with a medium to dense under-storey. It can be found growing near Hanging Rock, at an elevation of approximately 900 m.

Figure 2. M. concinna in habitat.

Climatic Data:

As there is no Bureau of Meteorology Weather Station in the Nundle/ Hanging Rock area, climatic data for nearby Murrurundi (elevation 466 m), located about 40 km south-west elevation of Nundle, has been used for comparison purposes. Murrurundi has an annual average rainfall of 830 mm (spread over 87 rain days) with the temperature exceeding 35°C on an average of 4 days during the month of January and falling below 0°C on an average of 13 days during the month of July. In 2006 the highest temperature recorded was 40.7°C and the lowest temperature recorded was -6.5°C. At Hanging Rock, frosts occur frequently, and heavy snowfalls occur occasionally, during winter.

Comment:

In 1990 we escorted Dr Piet Vorster (past-President of the Cycad Society of South Africa) on a trip around New South Wales to look at various cycads. During the trip Dr Vorster photographed several M. concinna plants (then known as M. pauli-guilielmi ssp. plurinervia) that were either partially or almost completely covered in snow (see Figures 11-14 below). Some of Dr Vorster"s photographs have recently featured in articles published about M. concinna.

Principal Characteristics:

The principal characteristics of M. concinna are:

a normally unbranched subterranean caudex
erect, sometimes spreading, fronds, with the rhachises usually turning through multiple spiral twists.
mid to darkish green coloured fronds
pinnae that extend from the rhachis in a 360 degree spread
reddish or creamy-yellowish callouses where the pinnae meet the rhachis
seeds with reddish coloured flesh.

Figure 3. M. concinna

Fronds:

Plants normally have up between 1 and 5 fronds. Plants with 1 or 2 fronds are not uncommon.

Pinnae:

In similar manner to other species with multi-twisted rhachises, the pinnae on M. concinna fronds appear to extend radially from the rhachis (like the branches of a tree) but, in fact, the rhachis itself spirally twists through a number of complete 360 degree revolutions. The pinnae extend more or less laterally from the rhachis, with the apical pinnae extending at a more acute angle. The number of complete twists of the rhachis can vary from a single twist to multiple twists. Occasionally, some fronds do not twist at all.

Cones:

Cones on female plants are usually solitary. Male plants can have 1-2 cones. Coning occurs on an irregular basis,

Figure 4. M. concinna

Hybrids:

M. concinna is geographically isolated from other cycad species and hybrids are non-existent.

Affinities:

M. concinna is related in varying degrees to each of the other three New South Wales cycads with multi-twisted rhachises (M. fawcettii, M. flexuosa and M. plurinervia). It has a close relationship to the larger M. plurinervia, (from which it was segregated) but is more akin in size and general characteristics to M. flexuosa.