Etymology:
Latin, longi-, long, and spina, a spine, from the prominent apical spines borne on the apices of the megasporophylls.
Historical notes: Seeds have been distributed in recent years and plants are in cultivation as Macrozamia 'Widgee'. Distinguishing features: Also a part of the complex around M. miquelii, M. longispina is nearest to M. mountperriensis, differing in having leaves with fewer leaflets and narrower median leaflets, and distal microsporophylls with longer apical spines. Distribution and habitat: Endemic in south-eastern Queensland, where it is restricted to the Widgee area west of Gympie. Plants form extensive colonies on skeletal soils derived from serpentinite, usually on slopes, in wet sclerophyll forests dominated by Eucalyptys acmenoides and Corymbia intermedia. Conservation status: Not considered to be at risk (IUCN Red List category LR,lc), although not well conserved.
Description:
Plants acaulescent or arborescent (rarely), stem 0-0.3 m tall, 20-30 cm diam. Leaves 15-20 in crown, bright green, semiglossy to highly glossy, 100-150 cm long, flat (not keeled) in section, with 48-66 leaflets; rachis not spirally twisted, straight, lax and pendulous; petiole 40-50 cm long, straight, unarmed, 4-5 mm wide at lowest leaflets; basal leaflets not reducing to spines. Leaflets simple, strongly discolorous; margins flat; apex entire, spinescent; median leaflets 280-320 mm long, 4.5-6 mm wide. Pollen cones fusiform, 8-15 cm long, 2.5-3.5 cm diam.; microsporophyll lamina 14-16 mm long, 10-13 mm wide; apical spine 1-20 mm long. Seed cones narrowly ovoid, 13-14 cm long, 6-8 cm diam.; megasporophyll lamina 28-35 mm long, megasporophyll with an expanded peltate apex 28-35 mm wide, 15-20 mm high; apical spine 25-62 mm long. Seeds oblong, 20-23 mm long, 15-16 mm wide; sarcotesta orange, or
yellow.
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