Zamia chigua
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| Zamia chigua | |
|---|---|
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| Zamia chigua, Illustration. | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Gymnospermae |
| Division: | Cycadophyta |
| Class: | Cycadopsida |
| Order: | Cycadales |
| Family: | Zamiaceae |
| Genus: | Zamia |
| Species: | Z. chigua |
| Binomial name | |
| Zamia chigua | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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Zamia chigua is a species of plant in the family Zamiaceae. It is found in Choco Department of Colombia and (Chiriquí Province) of Panama. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
The specific name chigua is the common name for cycads employed by the indigenous peoples in Choco Province. This has caused some confusion in the naming of Zamia species, and in particular with Z. roezlii being mis-identified as Z. chigua and Z. chigua as Z. "helecho" in horticultural use.[3]
Description
Z. chigua grows as a small shrub or tree, with a wrinkled stem up to 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) tall and 15 centimetres (5.9 in) in diameter. There are 3 to 15 compound leaves at the apex of the stem. The leaves are 0.5 to 3 metres (1 ft 8 in to 9 ft 10 in) long on a petiole (stalk) up to 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) long. The stalk is densely covered with prickles. There are 30 to 80 leaflets per leaf, which are long lanceolate, and smooth along the edges of the leaflet. Leaflets in the middle of the leaf are 10 to 30 centimetres (3.9 to 11.8 in) long and 1 to 1.5 centimetres (0.39 to 0.59 in) wide.[4]
Like all Zamias, Z. chigua is dioecious, with each plant being either male or female. Male strobili (cones) are cylindrical, 10 to 20 centimetres (3.9 to 7.9 in) long and 2 to 3 centimetres (0.79 to 1.18 in) in diameter, and cream to light-yellow in color. Female cones are narrow-ovoid to cylindrical, 20 to 30 centimetres (7.9 to 11.8 in) long and 8 to 12 centimetres (3.1 to 4.7 in) in diameter, and tan to light brown in color. Seeds are ovoid with a red sarcotesta (outer fleshy coat).[5]