Zamia huilensis Calonje, H.E.Esquivel & D.W.Stev.

Published in: Caldasia 34(2): 283-290. 2012. (Caldasia )

Distribution: Colombia (Huila)

IUCN Red List Conservation Status: Endangered; B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v) [Source citation]

Description: Stem epigeous, globose to cylindrical, to 110 cm tall and 7-12 cm wide, erect, typically solitary but occasionally branched. Cataphylls chartaceous, narrowly triangular, light beige-yellow to beige tomentose, to 10 cm long, and 3 cm wide at base. Leaves pinnately compound, up to 17 per stem apex, straight to slightly arching, to 160 cm long. Petiole to 53 cm long, sparsely to moderately armed with prickles to 2.2 mm long, base swollen and glabrous, 2-5 cm wide. Rachis to 116 cm long, unarmed or sparsely armed with prickles in the proximal third. Leaflets subopposite to subalternate, to 21 pairs per leaf, coriaceous, linear-lanceolate with strongly acuminate tip, straight to slightly falcate, margins dentate with 20-60 teeth on distal 2/3 to ½, light green and glabrous when emerging, glossy bright green at maturity; basal leaflets 17-36 x 3-6.5 cm; middle leaflets 16-29.7 x 3.8-5.2 cm, spaced 3-6.5 cm apart on rachis; apical leaflets 15-25 x 3.5-5.5 cm.Eophylls carrying 2-4 leaflets 6-6.5 x 2-2.3 cm with distinctly toothed margins, petiole 6-10 cm long, rachis 0.3-0.5 cm long. Pollen strobili two to six per stem apex, to 14 x 3 cm, yellow-beige tomentose, peduncles to 6.5-8.0 x 1-1.4 cm, yellow-beige tomentose with green undertones; microsporophylls arranged in 14-16 orthostichies of 16-25 fertile sporophylls each, obtrullate, 10-11 x 8-9 mm at pollen shedding, bullae encompassing 1/4 to 1/3 of total length of sporophyll, beige-yellow tomentose, face hexagonal, 5-5.2 x 4.2-4.5 mm, distal facet shallowly indented, microsporangia 37-43, 1.2 x 1 mm, limited to the abaxial surface and aggregated into asingle group, lower half of pedicels without microsporangia. Ovulate strobili one or two per apex, erect, cylindrical, beige-yellow tomentose when juvenile, at maturity turning beige-tomentose to glabrous green, 10-30 x 7-11.4 cm, sterile apex obtuse or pungent, 1-2 cm long, strobilus axis glabrous; peduncles 2-5 x 1.5-3 cm, beige-yellow to grey-brown tomentose; megasporophylls arranged in 5-8 orthostichies of 3-9 sporophylls each, megasporophyll pedicels 2.5-3.5 cm long, glabrous, bullae with hexagonal to oblong-hexagonal distal face 2.4-3 x 5-5.2 cm and 1-1.4 cm thick, terminal facet broad, slightly protruding, and indented. Seeds with sarcotesta ovoid-pyramidal, bright orange at maturity, 2.5-3.2 x 2.1-2.4 cm. Sclerotesta ovoid to ovoid-pyramidal, 2-2.3 x 1.4-1.8 cm.

Literature