''Bowenia serrulata'', the Byfield fern, is a

cycad Cycads are seed plants that typically have a stout and woody (ligneous) trunk (botany), trunk with a crown (botany), crown of large, hard, stiff, evergreen and (usually) pinnate leaves. The species are dioecious, that is, individual plants o ...

in the family

Stangeriaceae Stangeriaceae is the smallest family of the cycads, including only two extant genera, '' Stangeria'' and ''Bowenia'', which both have an underground stem. Taxonomy Although the family was first published by Schimper and Schenk as Stangerieae, t ...

. Its bipinnate fronds, arising from a subterranean caudex, give it the appearance of a fern. However it is not a fern as its vernacular name and appearance suggest. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to the vicinity of Byfield,

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

Gallery

Image:Bowenia serrulata 1.JPG, ''Bowenia serrulata'' growing in transition forest near Byfield, in the Capricornia region of Queensland, Australia Image:Bowenia serrulata 2.JPG, ''Bowenia serrulata'' growing in transition forest near Byfield, in the Capricornia region of Queensland, Australia Image:Bowenia serrulata 3.JPG, ''Bowenia serrulata'' growing in transition forest near Byfield, in the Capricornia region of Queensland, Australia Image:Bowenia serrulata 4.JPG, Pinnae of ''Bowenia serrulata Image:Bowenia serrulata 5.JPG, ''Bowenia serrulata'' growing in transition forest near Byfield, in the Capricornia region of Queensland, Australia Image:Bowenia serrulata 6.JPG, ''Bowenia serrulata'' growing in transition forest near Byfield, in the Capricornia region of Queensland, Australia

References

External Links

* serrulata Endemic flora of Australia Cycadophyta of Australia Flora of Queensland Least concern flora of Australia Least concern biota of Queensland Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Australia-plant-stub