Ceratozamia vovidesii Perez-Farr . & Iglesias, Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 153: 394. 2007

Martinez-Dominguez, Lili, Nicolalde-Morejon, Fernando, Vergara-Silva, Francisco & Stevenson, Dennis Wm., 2022, Monograph of Ceratozamia (Zamiaceae, Cycadales): an endangered genus, PhytoKeys 208, pp. 1-102 : 1

33. Ceratozamia vovidesii Perez-Farr. & Iglesias, Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 153: 394. 2007

Fig. 27H

Type.

Mexico. Chiapas: Mun. La Concordia, Between Finca Santa Cruz and El Puente , Rancho Las Cabanas , 1,156 m, 19 Jul 2001, M.A. Pérez-Farrera 2620a ♀ (holotype: HEM!; isotypes: CHIP [n.v.], MEXU [n.v.], MO [n.v.], XAL [n.v.]) .

Description.

Stem 50-80 cm long, 20-30 cm in diameter, epigeous, erect and decumbent. Cataphylls 5-7.5 × 2.7-5 cm wide at the base, persistent, triangular, reddish brown, densely brown tomentose at emergence, partially tomentose at maturity, apex acuminate. Leaves 3-18, 97-238 cm long, ascending, reddish brown at emergence with whitish gray trichomes, glabrous at maturity. Petiole terete, linear, 40-164 cm long, green in adult leaves, with 15-55 thin prickles, 0.14-0.38 cm long. Rachis terete, linear, 54-153 cm long, green in mature leaves, with prickles. Leaflets 30-85, opposite to subopposite, insertion in one plane, lanceolate, mostly longitudinally planar, generally basally falcate, papyraceous, flat, green with adaxial side glabrous and abaxial side glaucous, distal end with entire margins, acuminate and symmetrical apex, attenuate at base, with conspicuous and light-green veins; median leaflets 20-45 × 0.7-1.4 cm, 0.3-2.4 cm between leaflets; articulations 0.2-0.8 cm wide, green. Pollen strobili 15-45 cm long, 3.5-5 cm in diameter, solitary, cylindrical, erect, yellowish green with reddish brown trichomes at emergence, yellowish cream with reddish brown trichomes at maturity; peduncle 6-9.5 cm long, 1.6-1.9 cm in diameter, tomentose, reddish brown to brown; microsporophylls 1.2-1.5 × 0.8-1.04 cm, obconic with a non-recurved distal face and lobate fertile portion, infertile portion 0.37-0.50 cm long and rounded with straight horns 0.30-0.42 cm long, 0.52-0.84 cm with a right angle between the horns. Ovulate strobili 26-40 cm long, 7.1-9.6 cm in diameter, solitary, cylindrical, erect, greyish green with abundant reddish brown trichomes at emergence, green with abundant blackish trichomes at maturity, acuminate apex; peduncle 7-15 cm long, 1.7-2.2 cm in diameter, erect or pendulous, pubescent, brown; megasporophylls 60-70, 6-8 orthostichies with 7-12 sporophylls per row, 3.8-4.5 × 4-5 cm, with a prominent distal face, horns straight and 0.60-0.80 cm long, 0.99-1.40 cm between horns with an obtuse angle between the horns. Seeds 2.2-2.7 cm long, 1.3-1.7 cm in diameter, ovate, sarcotesta whitish yellow to yellow when immature, light brown at maturity.

Distribution and habitat.

Ceratozamia vovidesii is distributed along the Sierra Madre of Chiapas State in Mexico to Guatemala. It occurs on karstic rocks in cloud forest between 800 and 1,850 m elevation (Fig. 29A ).

Etymology.

The specific epithet honors Andrew P. Vovides in recognition of his systematic and ecological studies and efforts in the conservation of Mexican cycads, including the creation of the Mexican National Cycad Collection at the Francisco Javier Clavijero Botanic Garden in Xalapa (Veracruz, Mexico) ( Pérez-Farrera et al. 2007).

Common names.

None recorded.

Uses.

Decorative (M.A. Pérez-Farrera 2620a).

Conservation status.

( IUCN 2021). Ceratozamia vovidesii is listed as “Vulnerable” (V) under criteria D2. Here, we extended the distribution range for this species to Guatemala. Based on number of populations and data obtained during fieldwork we recommend not changing the current status.

Discussion.

Ceratozamia vovidesii shares several vegetative characteristics with C. mirandae . However, there are differences in their pollen strobili; C. vovidesii has obconic microsporophylls with rounded infertile portions, whereas those of C. mirandae are elliptic with a linear infertile portion.

There is some confusion concerning the holotype for C. vovidesii . In 2012 the gathering Pérez-Farrera 2620a also was used as the holotype in the protologue of Zamia grijalvensis Perez-Farr., Vovides & Mart.-Camilo ( Pérez-Farrera et al. 2012). The specimen, Pérez-Farrera 2620a is clearly a Ceratozamia and not a Zamia and corresponds to the protologue of C. vovidesii . Another specimen, Pérez-Farrera 3026, is labelled as the holotype for Z. grijalvensis and it clearly matches the protologue of that taxon. We are treating this miscitation of Pérez-Farrera 2620a in the protologue of Z. grijalvensis as a typographical error, which is now corrected.

Specimens examined.

Guatemala. Huehuetenango: 900- 1,300 m, 3 Sep 1942, J.A. Steyermark 51818 (NY; US); 1,630 m, 9 Jul 2006, M. Véliz & V. Davila 17042, 17043, 17044 (BIGU); 30 May 1906, O.F. Cook 51 ( US); 1,629 m, 10 Jul 2006, V. Davila & M. Véliz 1050 (BIGU); 1,622 m, 10. Jul 2006, V. Davila & M. Véliz 1052, 1053 (BIGU) . Mexico. Chiapas: Mun. Ángel Albino Corzo, 730 m, 23 Jan 1968, Alush Shilom Ton 3554 (ENCB); 14 Dec 1980, 1,380 m, D.E. Breedlove 48678 (NY); 800- 1,000 m, 8 Nov 1945, E.H. Xolocotzi & A.J. Sharp 402 (CHAPA, ENCB, MEXU); 1,000 m, 2 Jun 1987, E.M. Martínez S. et al. 21586 (MEXU); 1,819 m, 13 Aug 2009, H. Gómez-Domínguez 2316 (MEXU); 1,650 m, 18 May 1982, J.I. Calzada et al. 9131 (XAL); 5 Mar 1989, U. Bachem C. & R. Rojas 405 (CHIP). Mun. Jaltenango de la Paz, Jun 1995, E. Matuda s/n (MEXU); 1,500 m, 23 Jun 1990, M. Heath & A. Long 1287 (CHIP); 25 Feb 1995, Miranda 7042 (MEXU). Mun. La Concordia , 1,000 m, 5 Jun 1988, E. Palacios E. 1050 (CHIP); 1,840 m, 26 Jun 2018, F. Nicolalde-Morejón et al. 2864-2875 (CIB); 1,840 m, 26 Jun 2018, L. Martínez-Domínguez et al. 1439-1451 (CIB); 1,156 m, 19 Sep 2001, M.A. Pérez-Farrera 2621 (XAL); 1,600 m, M.A. Pérez-Farrera s/n (CHIP); 1,120 m, 17 Jun 2014, M.G. Díaz M. 961 (CHIP); 24 Mar 2001, R. Martínez-Camilo 54 (CHIP); 1,100 m, 11 Jun 1988, T.G. Cabrera-Cachón 74 (CHIP); 1,700 m, 1 Jun 1989, U. Bachem C. & R. Rojas 795 (CHIP). Mun. Mapastepec, 1,750 m, 13 May 1982, J.I. Calzada et al. 8874 (IBUG, MEXU, MO, XAL). Mun. Siltepec, 28 Feb 2000, O. Farrera S. 1958 (CHIP) .

Figures

Figure 27. Plants of Ceratozamia in habitat. A C. norstogii B C. oliversacksii C C. robusta D C. sabatoi E C. santillanii F C. tenuis G C. totonacorum H C. vovidesii I C. zaragozae.

Figure 29. Distribution of Ceratozamia species A C. vovidesii B C. whitelockiana C C. zaragozae D C. zoquorum.