Ceratozamia morettii Vázq.Torres & Vovides, Novon 8 (1): 87. 1998

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

22. Ceratozamia morettii Vázq.Torres & Vovides, Novon 8 (1): 87. 1998

Figs 7I-J , 10A, C

Type.

Mexico. Veracruz: Mun. Landero y Coss, El Raicero, 4 km NE from Landero y Coss , 1,500 m, 7 Jan 1992, M. Va ́zquez-Torres & H. Barney 4097 (holotype: CIB! [acc. # 22297UV]; isotypes: CIB! [acc. # 24578UV], MEXU [n.v.], XAL! [XAL0001061, XAL0001064])

Description.

Stem 20-23 (50) cm long, 20-35 cm in diameter, epigeous, erect and decumbent. Cataphylls 4-6.5 × 3-3.5 cm wide at the base, persistent, triangular, reddish brown, densely brown tomentose at emergence, partially tomentose at maturity, apex acuminate. Leaves 3-30, 82-200 cm long, descending, light green at emergence, with brown trichomes, glabrous at maturity. Petiole 30-90 cm long, terete, linear, green in mature leaves; with 8-60 thin prickles, 0.01-0.20 cm long. Rachis 50-116 cm long, terete, linear, green in mature leaves, with prickles. Leaflets 10-23 pairs, opposite to subopposite, oblong, longitudinally curved abaxially to planar, not basally falcate, coriaceous, green with adaxial side glabrous and abaxial side glaucous, distal end with entire margins, acuminate and asymmetrical at the apex, attenuate at base, and with conspicuous and green-light veins; median leaflets 17.5-41 × 2.6-4.3 cm wide, 2.1-6 cm between leaflets; articulations 0.5-1.6 cm wide, green and yellow. Pollen strobili 12-22 (35.5) cm long, 3.8-5.2 cm in diameter, solitary, cylindrical, erect, brownish yellow at emergence, greenish yellow with blackish pubescent at maturity; peduncle 3-7 (12.5) cm long, 1.1-1.6 cm in diameter, tomentose, reddish brown to brown; microsporophylls 1.0-2.0 × 0.9-1.15 cm, obconic with a non-recurved distal face and a lobate fertile portion, infertile portion 0.37-0.75 cm long and orbicular with straight horns 0.15-0.53 cm long, 0.47-0.92 cm and an acute angle between the horns. Ovulate strobili 14-20 cm long, 8-9.9 cm in diameter, solitary, globose, erect, yellowish green with brown trichomes at emergence, green with blackish trichomes at maturity and with apiculate apex; peduncle 4-7 cm long, 1.2-1.8 cm in diameter, erect, tomentose, brown; megasporophylls 35-81 (108), 7-10 orthostichies with 5-9 sporophylls per orthostichy, 1.7-2.6 × 3.0-4.5 cm, with a truncate distal face, horns straight and 0.32-0.69 cm long, 1.05-1.6 cm between horns and a right angle between the horns. Seeds 1.5-2.3 cm, 1-1.6 cm in diameter, ovate and globose, sarcotesta whitish yellow to yellow when immature, light brown at maturity.

Distribution and habitat.

Ceratozamia morettii is endemic to the Sierra de Chiconquiaco in Veracruz State, Mexico (Fig. 21B ), here it occurs in cloud forest on karstic rocks and cliffs between 1,150-1,850 m.

Etymology.

The specific epithet honors the Italian botantist Aldo Moretti from the Orto Botanico and Istituto di Biologia Vegetale at the University of Naples Federico II, in recognition of his scientific contributions to cycad biology ( Vázquez-Torres et al. 1998).

Common names.

Mexico. Veracruz: Palmita (J. Rees & A.P. Vovides 1663), palmilla (J. Rees & A.P. Vovides 1676).

Uses.

Leaves are used in flower arrangements to decorate the homes during religious rites (Fig. 28A ).

Conservation status.

( IUCN 2021). Ceratozamia morettii has been listed as “Endangered” under criteria B1ab(i,iv,v)+2ab(i,iv,v).

Discussion.

In leaf morphology, Ceratozamia morettii is morphologically similar to C. delucana ; however, there are differences in the total size of the plant and in its reproductive structures. The microsporophyll horns of C. morettii form an acute angle, whereas those of C. delucana form a right angle. The ovulate strobilus in C. morettii is green with blackish trichomes at maturity and an apiculate apex. In contrast, in C. delucana , the ovulate strobilus is green and glabrous at maturity with an acute apex.

Specimens examined.

Mexico. Veracruz: Mun. Chiconquiaco , 1,700 m, 5 Sep 1981, A.P. Vovides 687 (XAL); 1,850 m, 18 Dec 1981, A.P. Vovides 704 (XAL); Sep 1829, C.J.W. Schiede s/n (XAL); 1,598 m, 17 Sep 2020, F. Nicolalde-Morejón et al. 3318 - 3322 (CIB); 26 Nov 1974, J. Rees 6336 (IEB); 1,700 m, 5 Jun 2018, L. Lagunes G. 83, 84, 85, 86 (CIB); 1,600 m, 26 Apr 2018, L. Martínez-Domínguez et al. 1280 - 1290 (CIB); 1,700 m, 3 Dec 2018, L. Martínez-Domínguez et al. 1567, 1568 (CIB); 1,500 m, 15 Mar 2019, L. Martínez-Domínguez et al. 1660, 1661 (CIB); 1,550 m, 26 Mar 2019, L. Martínez-Domínguez et al. 1680, 1681 (CIB); 1,598 m, 17 Sep 2020, L. Martínez-Domínguez et al. 1931-1934, 1936 (CIB), 1935 (CIB, MEXU). Mun. Landero y Coss, 1,750 m, 1 Jan 1976, J. Rees & A.P. Vovides 1662 - 1664 (XAL); 1,750 m, 23 Sep 1976, J. Rees & A.P. Vovides 1676 (XAL); 1,830 m, 3 Mar 2011, L.H. Bojórquez G. et al. 23101-2316 (CIB); 1,472 m, 29 Jan 2015, L. Martínez-Domínguez et al. 185 - 214 (CIB); 1,765 M, 22 Apr 2008, M. Vázquez-Torres et al. 8349 (CIB); 3 Mar 2001, S. Avendaño 5378 (MEXU); 1,520 m, 10 Jan 2001, T.W. Walters 2001-01-E (XAL). Mun. Tenochtitlán, 1,500 m, 10 Apr 2002, A. Rincón G. et al. 2996, 2997 (XAL); 1,500 m, 12 Apr 2002, A. Rincón G. et al. 2998 (XAL). Mun. Yecuatla, 1,400 m, 26 May 1981, C. Gutiérrez B. & A. Montoya L. 134 (MO, XAL); 1,211 m, 28 Sep 2014, F. Nicolalde-Morejón & L. Martínez-Domínguez 2087 - 2106 (CIB); 1, 200 m, 26 Sep 1976, J. Rees 1677 (XAL); 1,211 m, 9 Aug 2014, L. Martínez-Domínguez et al. 161 (CIB).

Figures

Figure 7. Plants of Ceratozamia in habitat A C. kuesteriana B C. latifolia C C. leptoceras D C. matudae E C. mexicana F C. miqueliana G C. mirandae H C. mixeorum I C. morettii J Epiphytic C. morettii.

Figure 10. Shapes and pubescence of cataphylls and stipules A from left to right: Ceratozamia latifolia, C. delucana, C. morettii at emergence and C. morettii at maturity B cataphylls of C. delucana C stipules of C. morettii D stipules of C. matudae.

Figure 21. Distribution of Ceratozamia species A C. mixeorum. B C. morettii. C C. norstogii D C. oliversacksii.

Figure 28. Leaves of Ceratozamia are used for religious ceremonies A C. morettii used during local celebrations in La Estrella (Chiconquiaco municipality, Veracruz, Mexico) B C. totonacorum used during " San Judas Tadeo " festivities in La Union Atioyan (Nauzontla municipality, Puebla, Mexico).