This native groundcover is commonly known as burrawang.
Macrozamia serpentina is described as a "cycad" in the Zamiaceae family.
In the Queensland Nature Conservation Act it is classified as Endangered. Under the Federal Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act it is not classified.
Macrozamia serpentina is a cycad with an underground stem, 15-25cm in diameter, and a sparse crown of 5-12 obliquely erect or spreading mature leaves 0.2-1m long and flat in cross section. The petioles (leaf stalks) are 2-15cm long, with the base covered in grey soft, wool. Each leaf consists of 70-100 leaflets arranged on a straight (not twisted) rhachis. Leaflets are flat, widely spreading, 15-45cm long by 4-8mm wide, dark green above and paler beneath, with a white callous base. The lower 5-8 pairs are reduced to spines (pinnacanths). The male cones are cylindrical, green, 12-20cm long and 2.5-3.5cm in diameter. The female cones are cylindrical to barrel-shaped, green, 14-22cm long and 6.5-8cm in diameter. The seeds are oblong to ovoid (egg-shaped), 1.8-2.5cm long, 1.5-2cm wide and light orange to red when ripe. Macrozamia serpentina is closely allied to M. miquelii but is smaller, with smaller and fewer leaflets and smaller, thinner cones. The female cones also have shorter apical spines on the megasporophylls (scales). (Forster et al. 1994; Jones et al. 2001) (https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/species-search/details/?id=27445)
It has been recorded in the Wide Bay district in the Queensland Herbarium Census but is not listed as occurring in the Fraser Coast region in Queensland Herbarium Wildlife Online.
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Fraser Coast distribution based on unverified field reports.
AVH
