XXVIII] DISTRIBUTION 9 



Australia, in many of the islands in the Indian and Pacific oceans, 

 in New Guinea, Borneo, New Caledonia, New Britain, China and 

 Japan 1 . Zamia, the most northerly genus, extends from North 

 Mexico and Florida through Central America and some of the 

 West Indian islands to Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. Dioon 

 and Cemtozamia are confined to South Mexico, and Microcycas 

 flourishes on the Cuban mountains. The continent of Africa 

 possesses two endemic genera Encephalartos and Stangeria. Ence- 

 phalartos extends from Cape Colony through Natal and Zululand 

 to Zanzibar and Mombasa 2 : a specimen in the Kew Herbarium 

 (probably E. Hildebrandti) is said to have been collected as far 

 north as the Soudan. Two species are recorded from the Congo 3 

 and E. Barteri, discovered by Barter in Central Africa, is recorded 

 from the Gold Coast 4 . Stangeria has a much more limited range 

 in S.E. Africa 5 ; Australia possesses Macrozamia, represented by 

 several species in Western Australia, New South Wales and 

 Queensland, Cycas in Queensland and the Northern territory 

 and the Queensland genus Bowenia. There are no Cycads in 

 New Zealand. As a whole Cycads have a limited range and with 

 the exception of Cycas and Zamia none of them extend beyond 

 the limits of a single continent. They are as a rule not gregarious 

 plants and play a subordinate part in the facies of the vegetation. 

 Macrozamia forms dense thickets 6 in some districts and occurs 

 both in exposed situations and in association with Palms in 

 damp Queensland forests. Chamberlain 7 speaks of 100 plants of 

 Dioon edule as visible in one view in South Mexico where the 

 species forms a mountain forest. In Florida Zamia pumila 8 

 grows in dense moist woods, a habitat in contrast to that of many 

 Cycads. The Mexican Ceratozamia is associated with luxuriant 

 vegetation, while its compatriot Dioon 9 lives in blazing sunshine. 



1 The species Cycas taiwanensis was founded by Mr Carruthers (93) on material 

 from Formosa, and C. revoluta has also been recorded from Formosa [Thiselton- 

 Dyer (02) p. 559], but according to Mr Elwes it is very doubtful whether any 

 native Cycad occurs on the island. 



2 Engler (95) p. 92; Stapf (14). 



3 Gard. Chron. June 11, 1904, p. 370. 



4 Bot. Mag. 1909, Tab. 8232. 5 Pearson (06). 



5 Chamberlain (12 2 ). 7 Chamberlain (06). 

 8 Webber (01). 9 Chamberlain (09). 



