Four species, two extant (L. hopei and L. peroffskyana) and two
(Tertiary) extinct, endemic to Australia. Described 1857 based
on a living plant (L. peroffskyana) in the St. Petersburg
Botanical Garden (Jones 1993). The most recent systematic study
was by Johnson (1959). Large plants with a stout, erect trunk.
Notable features include: Australia: New South Wales and
Queensland, near the coast, in rainforest or similarly sheltered
forest sites. Soils are well-structured loams (Jones 1993). Both
species are popular ornamentals suitable, when young, for indoor
container plantings. The leaves are used for decoration (Jones
1993). Aboriginal use for food is not cited but seems likely in
view of the size and local abundance of these plants. Have seen
both species in native habitat. Both are easily located; see
species descriptions for details. First known from Eocene
sediments in New South Wales. Propagation is solely from seed,
which takes 12 to 24 months to germinate (Jones 1993). Last
Modified 2012-11-23