''Zamia'' is a genus of

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

of the family

Zamiaceae The Zamiaceae are a family of cycads that are superficially palm or fern-like. They are divided into two subfamilies with eight genera and about 150 species in the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Australia and North and South Americ ...

, native to

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and th ...

from the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

(in

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

and

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...

) throughout the

West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greate ...

Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...

, and

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sou ...

as far south as

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
/ref> The genus is considered to be the most ecologically and morphologically diverse cycads, and is estimated to have originated about 68.3 million years ago.

Description

The genus comprises

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, ...

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from tree ...

s with aerial or subterranean circular stems, often superficially resembling

palm Palm most commonly refers to: * Palm of the hand, the central region of the front of the hand * Palm plants, of family Arecaceae **List of Arecaceae genera * Several other plants known as "palm" Palm or Palms may also refer to: Music * Palm (ba ...

s. They produce spirally arranged, pinnate

leaves A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, st ...

which are pubescent, at least when young, having branched and simple, transparent and coloured hairs. The articulated leaflets lack a midrib, and are broad with subparallel

dichotomous venation A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, ste ...

. Lower leaflets are not reduced to spines, though the petioles often have prickles. The emerging leaves of many ''Zamia'' species are striking, some emerging with a reddish or bronze cast ('' Z. roeslii'' being an example). ''

Zamia picta ''Zamia variegata'' is a species of plant in the family Zamiaceae. It is native to Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. It grows in forests. It is threatened by habitat destruction Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habit ...

'' is even more distinctive, being the only truly variegated cycad (having whitish/yellow speckles on the leaves).

Reproduction

''Zamia''

sporophyll A sporophyll is a leaf that bears sporangia. Both microphylls and megaphylls can be sporophylls. In heterosporous plants, sporophylls (whether they are microphylls or megaphylls) bear either megasporangia and thus are called megasporophylls, or ...

s are born in vertical rows in

cones A cone is a three-dimensional geometric shape that tapers smoothly from a flat base (frequently, though not necessarily, circular) to a point called the apex or vertex. A cone is formed by a set of line segments, half-lines, or lines conn ...

, and the megasporophyll apices are faceted or flattened, not spinose. The fleshy seeds are subglobular to oblong or ellipsoidal, and are red, orange, yellow or rarely white. The endosperm is

haploid Ploidy () is the number of complete sets of chromosomes in a cell, and hence the number of possible alleles for autosomal and pseudoautosomal genes. Sets of chromosomes refer to the number of maternal and paternal chromosome copies, respective ...

, derived from the female

gametophyte A gametophyte () is one of the two alternating multicellular phases in the life cycles of plants and algae. It is a haploid multicellular organism that develops from a haploid spore that has one set of chromosomes. The gametophyte is the ...

. The embryo is straight, with two

cotyledon A cotyledon (; ; ; , gen. (), ) is a significant part of the embryo within the seed of a plant, and is defined as "the embryonic leaf in seed-bearing plants, one or more of which are the first to appear from a germinating seed." The numb ...

s that are usually united at the tips and a very long, spirally twisted suspensor. The sperm of members from the genus are large, as is typical of cycads, and ''Z. roezlii'' is an example; its sperm are approximately 0.4 mm long and can be seen by the unaided eye.

Preferred habitat

All the species of ''Zamia'' produce leafy crowns of foliage that make them choice garden specimens and most varieties branch heavily in age to produce handsome clumps. With a few exceptions, most ''Zamia'' species are found in warm, humid, tropical rainforest habitats, growing in the forest understory. However, many species are still fairly adaptable, performing quite well in cultivation, especially in subtropical areas. All species need good drainage and protection from the cold.

Ecology

At least one species, ''Z. pseudoparasitica'', grows as an

epiphyte An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...

in the branches of trees.

Species

Accepted species: # '' Zamia acuminata'' Oerst.ex Dyer -

Costa Rica Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...

Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the coun ...

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...

# '' Zamia amazonum'' D.W.Stev. -

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the ...

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ' ...

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

# '' Zamia amplifolia'' Hort.Bull ex Mast. - Colombia # '' Zamia angustifolia''

Jacq. Nikolaus Joseph Freiherr von Jacquin (16 February 172726 October 1817) was a scientist who studied medicine, chemistry and botany. Biography Born in Leiden in the Netherlands, he studied medicine at Leiden University, then moved first to Par ...

The Bahamas The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to 88% of the a ...

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribb ...

# '' Zamia boliviana'' (Brongn.) A.DC. -

, Brazil (

Mato Grosso Mato Grosso ( – lit. "Thick Bush") is one of the states of Brazil, the third largest by area, located in the Central-West region. The state has 1.66% of the Brazilian population and is responsible for 1.9% of the Brazilian GDP. Neighboring ...

) # '' Zamia chigua'' Seem. - Colombia # '' Zamia cremnophila'' Vovides, Schutzman & Dehgan - Tabasco,

Mexico Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of sovereign states, country in the southern portion of North America. It is borders of Mexico, bordered to the north by the United States; to the so ...

# '' Zamia cunaria'' Dressler & D.W.Stev. - Panama # '' Zamia decumbens'' Calonje, Meerman, M.P. Griff. & Hoese -

Belize Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wa ...

# '' Zamia disodon'' D.W.Stev. & Sabato - Colombia # '' Zamia dressleri'' D.W.Stev. - Panama # '' Zamia elegantissima'' Schutzman, Vovides & R.S.Adams - Panama # ''

Zamia encephalartoides ''Zamia encephalartoides'' is a species of plant in the family Zamiaceae. It is endemic to Colombia. It is threatened by habitat loss. It is found in only two locations in Santander Province, Colombia, which are near the Chicamocha River C ...

'' D.W. Stev. - Colombia # '' Zamia erosa'' O.F.Cook & G.N.Collins - Cuba,

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of Hispa ...

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...

# '' Zamia fairchildiana'' L.D.Gómez - Panama, Costa Rica # '' Zamia fischeri'' Miq. ex Lem. - Mexico (

San Luis Potosí San Luis Potosí (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of San Luis Potosí ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de San Luis Potosí), is one of the 32 states which compose the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and i ...

Veracruz Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave), is one of the 31 states which, along with Me ...

Hidalgo Hidalgo may refer to: People * Hidalgo (nobility), members of the Spanish nobility * Hidalgo (surname) Places Mexico * Hidalgo (state), in central Mexico * Hidalgo, Coahuila, a town in the north Mexican state of Coahuila * Hidalgo, Nuevo Le� ...

Querétaro Querétaro (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Querétaro ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Querétaro, links=no; Otomi: ''Hyodi Ndämxei''), is one of the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into 18 municipalities. Its cap ...

Tamaulipas Tamaulipas (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas), is a state in the northeast region of Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entiti ...

) # ''

Zamia furfuracea ''Zamia furfuracea'' is a cycad endemic to southeastern Veracruz state in eastern Mexico. Names Although not a palm tree (Arecaceae), its growth habit is superficially similar to a palm; therefore it is commonly known as cardboard palm or cardbo ...

'' L.f. - cardboard palm - Mexico (Veracruz) # ''

Zamia gentryi ''Zamia gentryi'' is a species of plant in the family Zamiaceae. It is endemic to Ecuador. It is threatened by habitat loss. It is found in two locations of Carchi Province Carchi () is a province in Ecuador. The capital is Tulcán. The ...

'' Dodson Ecuador # '' Zamia gomeziana'' R.H.Acuña - Costa Rica # '' Zamia grijalvensis'' Pérez-Farr., Vovides & Mart.-Camilo - Mexico (Chiapas) # '' Zamia hamannii'' A.S.Taylor, J.L.Haynes & Holzman - Panama # '' Zamia herrerae'' Calderón & Standl. - Mexico (Chiapas),

El Salvador El Salvador (; , meaning " The Saviour"), officially the Republic of El Salvador ( es, República de El Salvador), is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south ...

Guatemala Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico; to the northeast by Belize and the Caribbean; to the east by Hon ...

, Nicaragua,

Honduras Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. The republic of Honduras is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Oce ...

# '' Zamia huilensis'' Calonje, H.E.Esquivel & D.W.Stev. Colombia # '' Zamia hymenophyllidia'' D.W.Stev. - Colombia, Peru # '' Zamia imperialis'' A.S.Taylor, J.L.Haynes & Holzman - Panama # '' Zamia incognita'' A.Lindstr. & Idárraga - Colombia # '' Zamia inermis'' Vovides, J.D.Rees & Vázq.Torres - Mexico (Veracruz) # '' Zamia integrifolia'' L.f. - coontie palm/Florida arrowroot -

(

), Bahamas,

Cayman Islands The Cayman Islands () is a self-governing British Overseas Territory—the largest by population in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which are located to the ...

, Cuba, Puerto Rico # '' Zamia ipetiensis'' D.W.Stev. - Panama # '' Zamia katzeriana'' (Regel) E.Rettig - Mexico # '' Zamia lacandona'' Schutzman & Vovides - Mexico (Chiapas) # '' Zamia lecointei'' Ducke - Brazil (

Pará Pará is a state of Brazil, located in northern Brazil and traversed by the lower Amazon River. It borders the Brazilian states of Amapá, Maranhão, Tocantins, Mato Grosso, Amazonas and Roraima. To the northwest are the borders of Guyana a ...

), Venezuela, Colombia, Peru # '' Zamia lindenii'' Regel ex André - Peru, Ecuador # '' Zamia lindleyi'' Warsz. ex A.Dietr. - Panama # '' Zamia loddigesii'' Miq. Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico (

Campeche Campeche (; yua, Kaampech ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Campeche ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Campeche), is one of the 31 states which make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Located in southeast Mexico, it is bordered by ...

, Chiapas, Veracruz,

Puebla Puebla ( en, colony, settlement), officially Free and Sovereign State of Puebla ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 217 municipalities and its cap ...

, Oaxaca, Hidalgo,

Tabasco Tabasco (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tabasco ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tabasco), is one of the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 17 municipalities and its capital city is Villahermosa. It is located in ...

, Tamaulipas,

Quintana Roo Quintana Roo ( , ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Quintana Roo ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Quintana Roo), is one of the 31 states which, with Mexico City, constitute the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into 11 mu ...

Yucatán Yucatán (, also , , ; yua, Yúukatan ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Yucatán,; yua, link=no, Xóot' Noj Lu'umil Yúukatan. is one of the 31 states which comprise the federal entities of Mexico. It comprises 106 separate mun ...

# '' Zamia lucayana'' Britton - Bahamas # '' Zamia macrochiera'' D.W.Stev. - Peru # '' Zamia manicata'' Linden ex Regel - Panama, Colombia # '' Zamia meermanii'' Calonje - Belize # '' Zamia melanorrhachis'' D.W.Stev. - Colombia # '' Zamia montana'' A.Braun - Colombia # '' Zamia monticola'' Chamb. - Guatemala # '' Zamia muricata'' Willd. - Colombia, Venezuela # '' Zamia nana'' A.Lindstr., Calonje, D.W.Stev. & A.S.Taylor Panama # '' Zamia nesophila'' A.S.Taylor, J.L.Haynes & Holzman - Panama # '' Zamia neurophyllidia'' D.W.Stev. - Panama, Nicaragua, Costa Rica # '' Zamia obliqua'' A.Braun - Colombia # '' Zamia onan-reyesii'' C.Nelson & Sandoval - Honduras # '' Zamia oreillyi'' C.Nelson - Honduras # '' Zamia paucijuga'' Wieland - Mexico (

Guerrero Guerrero is one of the 32 states that comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 81 municipalities and its capital city is Chilpancingo and its largest city is Acapulcocopied from article, GuerreroAs of 2020, Guerrero the pop ...

Jalisco Jalisco (, , ; Nahuatl: Xalixco), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco ; Nahuatl: Tlahtohcayotl Xalixco), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal ...

Colima Colima (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Colima ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Colima), is one of the 31 states that make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It shares its name with its capital and main city, Colima. Colima i ...

Michoacán Michoacán, formally Michoacán de Ocampo (; Purépecha: ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Michoacán de Ocampo ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of ...

Nayarit Nayarit (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Nayarit ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Nayarit), is one of the 31 states that, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 20 municipalities and its ...

, Oaxaca) # '' Zamia poeppigiana'' Mart. & Eichler - Bolivia, Brazil (

Acre The acre is a unit of land area used in the imperial and US customary systems. It is traditionally defined as the area of one chain by one furlong (66 by 660 feet), which is exactly equal to 10 square chains, of a square mile, 4,840 square ...

) # '' Zamia portoricensis'' Urb. - Puerto Rico # '' Zamia prasina'' W.Bull - Belize, Mexico (Tabasco, Yucatán) # '' Zamia pseudomonticola'' L.D.Gómez - Panama, Costa Rica # '' Zamia pseudoparasitica'' Yates - Panama # '' Zamia pumila'' L. - guáyara / Dominican zamia -

Hispaniola Hispaniola (, also ; es, La Española; Latin and french: Hispaniola; ht, Ispayola; tnq, Ayiti or Quisqueya) is an island in the Caribbean that is part of the Greater Antilles. Hispaniola is the most populous island in the West Indies, and th ...

(

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...

), possibly Cuba; possibly

extirpated Local extinction, also known as extirpation, refers to a species (or other taxon) of plant or animal that ceases to exist in a chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere. Local extinctions are contrasted with global extinct ...

in Puerto Rico and

Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and s ...

# '' Zamia purpurea'' Vovides, J.D.Rees & Vázq.Torres - Mexico (Veracruz, Oaxaca) # '' Zamia pygmaea'' Sims - Cuba # '' Zamia pyrophylla'' Calonje, D.W.Stev. & A.Lindstr. - Colombia # '' Zamia restrepoi'' (D.W.Stev.) A.Lindstr. - Colombia # '' Zamia roezlii'' Regel ex Linden - Colombia, Ecuador # '' Zamia sandovalii'' C.Nelson - Honduras # '' Zamia skinneri'' Warsz. ex A.Dietr. - Panama # '' Zamia soconuscensis'' Schutzman, Vovides & Dehgan - Mexico (Chiapas) # '' Zamia spartea'' A.DC. in A.P.de Candolle - Mexico (Oaxaca) # '' Zamia standleyi'' Schutzman - Guatemala, Honduras # '' Zamia stevensonii'' A.S.Taylor & Holzman Panama # '' Zamia stricta'' Miq. - Cuba # '' Zamia tolimensis'' Calonje, H.E.Esquivel & D.W.Stev - Colombia # '' Zamia tuerckheimii'' Donn.Sm. - Guatemala # '' Zamia ulei'' Dammer - Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil # '' Zamia urep'' B.Walln. - Peru # '' Zamia variegata'' Warsz. - Mexico (Chiapas), Belize, Guatemala # '' Zamia vazquezii'' D.W.Stev., Sabato & De Luca - Mexico (Veracruz) # '' Zamia verschaffeltii'' Miq. - Mexico (Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas) # ''

Zamia wallisii ''Zamia wallisii'' is a species of plant in the Coontie Family (Zamiaceae). It is endemic to Colombia. Its common name is ''chigua''. History ''Zamia wallisii'' was described in 1875 by Alexander Braun from material collected by Gustav Wallis i ...

'' H.J.Veitch - Colombia

References

External links

The Cycad Pages: Genus ''Zamia''