Macrozamia communis

Location & distribution maps

Plant description

Common name:         Burrawang 

• The common name for the species is burrawang, a word derived from the Daruk Australian Aboriginal language; this name is also often applied to other species of Macrozamia.

Conservation status: Least concern

• The conservation status of the species is "not considered to be at risk"

Etymology:   

• Macrozamia …. from Greek, macros, large, referring to the related genus Zamia

• communis …. in communities, referring to the fact that the species is often found in large groups ( "communis" means "common, public, shared by all or many"

Cones and seed:                            

• Seed cones are formed after fire

• Male and female seed cones are on separate plants and the large female seeds are ripe when red or yellow

Leaves:         

Stem & branches: 

Roots:         

• Seedlings of Macrozamia communis have a tuber and coralloid roots that rise up above the ground containing cyanobacteria

• These exist in a symbiotic relationship with the cycad by nitrogen fixation

Habit:        

Habitat:   

• The plants grow in open forests

Distribution:                  

• Found on the east coast of NSW

• It has the most extensive distribution of any cycad in NSW

• It is found along the coast from the district around Armidale, NSW to Bega 700 km south and on the coastal slopes of the Great Dividing Range ,with some instances on the inland slopes of the range; as far west as the Mudgee district

• It is most abundant on the south coast of the state

Additional notes:     

• Age

  • Individual specimens take 10–20 years to mature and may live for up to 120 years

• Food

  • The seeds of the burrawang are a good source of starch but are poisonous to eat unless treated

  • The Cadigal people pounded and soaked the seeds in water for a week, changing the water daily

  • The pulp was then made into cakes and roasted over hot embers

Sources of information:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macrozamia_communis (2023)