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The breath-taking landscape of Watarrka National Park is home to a myriad of flora including the MacDonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii).

  • Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
    Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon

Cycads are very ancient plants, their ancestors date back 200 million years ago and were once the dominant flora on the planet. The Jurassic Era of the dinosaurs is also known as “The Age of the Cycad”.

Cycads existed before flowering plants. Often mistaken for palms, cycads are acutally primitive seed plants (Gymnosperms) along with gingkos and conifers.

  • Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
    Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
  • Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
    Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
  • Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
    Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
  • Seed of the Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
    Seed of the Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
  • Seed of the Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
    Seed of the Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
  • Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
    Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
  • Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
    Seeds of the Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii)
  • Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
    Seed of the Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii)
  • Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
    Seeds of the Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii)
  • Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
    Seed of the Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii)
  • Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
    Seed of the Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii)
  • Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
    Seed of the Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii)
  • Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
    Seed of the Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii)
  • Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
    Seed of the Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii)
Seed of the Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
  • Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
    Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii)
  • Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), Kings Canyon
    Macdonnell Ranges Cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii)
  • Looking down into Kings Canyon
    Looking down into Kings Canyon and Macdonnell Ranges Cycads
  • Looking down into Kings Canyon
    Looking down into Kings Canyon and at the Macdonnell Ranges Cycads

Visit our Flora Index for more information on the MacDonnell Ranges Cycad.

  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Plantae
  • Clade: Tracheophytes
  • Division: Cycadophyta
  • Class: Cycadopsida
  • Order: Cycadales
  • Family: Zamiaceae
  • Genus: Macrozamia
  • Species: M. macdonnellii
  • Binomial name: Macrozamia macdonnellii