{"product_id":"cycas-cairnsiana","title":"Cycas cairnsiana","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGeographic \u0026amp; Climate\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGeographic Coordinates:\u003c\/b\u003e Approximately 18°10'S – 18°50'S, 143°45'E – 144°30'E (Type locality: Newcastle Range, Etheridge Shire, northeast Queensland, Australia).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eClimate Classification:\u003c\/b\u003e Tropical Savanna \/ Semi-Arid Tropical (Köppen: \u003ci\u003eAw\u003c\/i\u003e bordering \u003ci\u003eBSh\u003c\/i\u003e) — pronounced monsoonal summer wet season followed by an intense, prolonged winter dry season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"p-rc_ba849d2986f1d7ad-49\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHabitat Characteristics:\u003c\/b\u003e Occurs at elevations between 450 and 550 meters above sea level. Annual rainfall ranges from 700 to 1,350 mm, falling almost entirely between December and March. \u003cspan class=\"citation-160 citation-end-160\"\u003eSubstrate consists of skeletal, nutrient-poor, gritty mineral soils weathered directly over exposed siliceous granite hills, ridges, and boulder outcrops in open savanna woodland.\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBotanical Morphology\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDiagnostic Features:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"p-rc_ba849d2986f1d7ad-50\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eFoliage:\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-159 citation-end-159\"\u003eFronds measure 60–110 cm in length, rigidly bowed and distinctly keeled (V-shaped in cross-section).\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-158 citation-end-158\"\u003eEmerging fronds are densely covered in dark orange-brown tomentum, shedding completely to reveal an intense, chalky, silvery glaucous-blue epicuticular wax layer on mature leaves.\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"p-rc_ba849d2986f1d7ad-51\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePinnae (Leaflets):\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-157 citation-end-157\"\u003e180–280 leaflets per leaf, inserted at 20°–60° along the rachis.\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-156 citation-end-156\"\u003eMedian leaflets are exceptionally narrow (8–18 cm long by only 2–3.5 mm wide) with strongly revolute (recurved) margins, providing extreme reduction of transpirational surface area.\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"p-rc_ba849d2986f1d7ad-52\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReproductive Structures \u0026amp; Seeds:\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-155 citation-end-155\"\u003eDioecious.\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-154 citation-end-154\"\u003eSolitary ovoid male cones (16–20 cm long, 7–10 cm diameter) with upturned apical spines.\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-153 citation-end-153\"\u003eOpen female megasporophylls (16–21 cm long) with narrowly triangular, toothed apical lamina bearing 2–4 ovules.\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-152 citation-end-152\"\u003eSarcotesta is covered in a dense, powdery blue-white waxy bloom, ripening to yellow-brown.\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"p-rc_ba849d2986f1d7ad-53\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eGrowth Habit:\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-151 citation-end-151\"\u003eExtremely slow-growing arborescent pachycaul gymnosperm.\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e Enters winter dormancy during the dry period (May to October). \u003cspan class=\"citation-150 citation-end-150\"\u003eMature plants develop an erect pachycaul trunk 2–5 meters in height and 12–16 cm in diameter, frequently swollen at the base.\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Etymology\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"p-rc_ba849d2986f1d7ad-54\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eEtymology:\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-149\"\u003eGenus \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-149\"\u003eCycas\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-149\"\u003e originates from the Ancient Greek \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-149\"\u003ekykas\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-149\"\u003e (a historical transcription error for \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-149\"\u003ekoikas\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-149 citation-end-149\"\u003e, referencing a palm-like tree).\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-148\"\u003eThe specific epithet \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-148\"\u003ecairnsiana\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-148 citation-end-148\"\u003e honors William Wellington Cairns (1828–1888), who served as the Governor of Queensland from 1875 to 1877.\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"p-rc_ba849d2986f1d7ad-55\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHistorical Context:\u003c\/b\u003e First collected in the 1870s by police officer and naturalist William E. Armit during exploration of the rugged Newcastle Range. \u003cspan class=\"citation-147\"\u003eFormally described in 1876 by the Victorian Government Botanist Baron Ferdinand von Mueller in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-147\"\u003eFragmenta Phytographiae Australiae\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-147 citation-end-147\"\u003e (10: 63).\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-146 citation-end-146\"\u003eThough scientifically known for over a century, it remained virtually absent from private horticulture until the late 1980s, when discovery of its otherworldly powdery-blue foliage turned it into one of the most coveted collector cycads worldwide.\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"BotanicalCollector","offers":[{"title":"No.0913|W5.5cm|Seed-grown","offer_id":71292420129021,"sku":"71292420129021","price":500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0785\/3552\/4605\/files\/IMG_2131.jpg?v=1789308927","url":"https:\/\/www.botanicalcollector.com\/products\/cycas-cairnsiana","provider":"BotanicalCollector","version":"1.0","type":"link"}