Ceratozamia brevifrons Miq., Tijdschr. Wis-en natuurk Wet. 1: 41. 1847

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

4. Ceratozamia brevifrons Miq., Tijdschr. Wis-en natuurk Wet. 1: 41. 1847

Figs 3B , 12C , 14D , 15D

Type.

Mexico. Veracruz: Mun. Alto Lucero de Gutierrez Barrios , Apr 2005, S. Avendan ̃o R. 5699 (neotype, designated by Vovides et al. 2012, pg. 38: XAL! [XAL0132508]) .

Description.

Stem 20-70 cm long, 15-40 cm in diameter, epigeous, erect. Cataphylls 2-5 × 1.5-4 cm wide at the base, persistent, triangular, reddish brown, densely brownish tomentose at emergence, glabrous at maturity with an acuminate apex. Leaves 6-36, 58-173.5 cm long, descending, yellowish green at emergence with brown trichomes, glabrous at maturity. Petiole 20-56 cm long, terete, linear, green in mature leaves; with 40-90 robust prickles, 0.24-50 cm long. Rachis 35-125.5 cm long, terete, linear, green in mature leaves, with prickles. Leaflets 13-38 pairs, opposite to subopposite, insertion keeled, sometimes imbricate, lanceolate, abaxially curved, basally falcate, coriaceous, flat, light green with adaxial and abaxial sides glabrous, distal end with entire margins, acuminate and symmetrical to asymmetrical at the apex, attenuate at base, with conspicuous and green-light veins; median leaflets 15.5-41 × 2-4.1 cm, 0.5-3.2 cm between leaflets; articulations 0.6-1.7 cm wide, yellow. Pollen strobili 18-31 cm long, 4-7 cm in diameter, solitary, cylindrical, erect, greenish yellow at emergence, greenish yellow with brown to blackish trichomes at maturity; peduncle 4-10.3 cm long, 1.7-2.2 cm in diameter, reddish brown to light-brown pubescent; microsporophylls 1.55-2.3 × 0.80-1.5 cm, obconic with a non-recurved distal and a lobate fertile portion, infertile portion 0.50-0.70 cm long and rounded with straight horns 0.24-0.40 cm long, 0.50-1.02 cm and an acute angle between the horns. Ovulate strobili 25-33 cm long, 9.8-12.5 cm in diameter, solitary, cylindrical, erect, green with blackish trichomes at emergence, greenish yellow with brown to blackish trichomes at maturity and with an acuminate and apiculate apex; peduncle 6-14 cm long, 2.0-2.4 cm in diameter, pendulous and erect, brown to reddish brown pubescent; megasporophylls 80-224, 8-16 orthostichies with 10-15 sporophylls per orthostichy, 1.5-2.8 × 2.5-3.2 cm, with a prominent distal face, horns straight and robust and 0.75-0.95 cm long, 1.15-1.70 cm between horns with an acute angle between the horns. Seeds 2.0-3.0 cm long, 1.3-2.0 cm in diameter, ovate, sarcotesta whitish yellow to yellow when immature, light brown at maturity.

Distribution and habitat.

Ceratozamia brevifrons is known only from Sierra de Chiconquiaco in Veracruz State, Mexico (Fig. 14D ) where it occurs in the transition zone between cloud forest and oak forest at 450 to 1,370 m.

Etymology.

The epithet is derived from its relatively short leaves.

Common names.

Mexico. Veracruz: Palma (J. Rees 1636); palmilla (A.P. Vovides et al. 682).

Uses.

None recorded.

Conservation status.

The area of distribution of Ceratozamia brevifrons is small and populations are close. Martínez-Domínguez et al. (2021) using ecological niche model estimated approximately 817 km2 of potential distribution with 558 km2 of transformed habitat. In addition, this species is not in a protected area. All data suggest that C. brevifrons could be assigned as "Endangered (EN)".

Discussion.

Ceratozamia brevifrons is easily distinguished from its congeners by having adaxially keeled and coriaceous leaflets, petioles armed with abundant short and robust prickles and greenish yellow ovulate strobili with brown to blackish brown trichomes at maturity.

Specimens examined.

Mexico. Veracruz: Mun. Alto Lucero de Gutierrez Barrios , 24 Aug 1976 , A.P. Vovides 119 (XAL); 8 Jan 2009, D. Jimeno-Sevilla 694 (XAL); 1,052 m, 12 Jan 2013, F. Nicolalde-Morejón et al. 1711 - 1731 (CIB); 1,052 m, 22 Aug 2014, F. Nicolalde-Morejón & L. Martínez-Domínguez 2027 - 2046 (CIB); 1,250 m, 6 Apr 1981, G. Castillo-Campos 1297 (XAL); 700 m, 3 Dec 1974, J. Rees 1636 (MO, XAL), 1641, 1642, 850 m, 21 Sep 1976, 1675 (XAL); 1,052 m, 21 Jun 2014, L. Martínez-Domínguez & F. Nicolalde-Morejón 130 - 133 (CIB); 842 m, 6 Feb 2015, L. Martínez-Domínguez & F. Nicolalde-Morejón 216 -226 (CIB); 1,052 m, 22 Mar 2015, L. Martínez-Domínguez & F. Nicolalde-Morejón 298 - 309 (CIB); 450 m, 14 Jul 1995, M. Vázquez-Torres 4790 (CIB); 24 Jun 2010, M. Vázquez-Torres et al. 9186 (CIB); 850 m, 10 Jan 2001, T.W. Walters 2001-02-A, B (XAL). Mun. Chiconquiaco , 1,268 m, 10 April. 2015, F. Nicolalde-Morejón & L. Martínez-Domínguez 2237 - 2241 (CIB); 1,340 m, 2 May 2019, F. Nicolalde-Morejón et al. 3138-3147 (CIB); 1,268 m, 10 Apr 2015, L. Martínez-Domíguez & F. Nicolalde-Morejón 556 - 560 (CIB); 1,340 m, 2 May 2019, L. Martínez-Domíguez et al. 1729-1738 (CIB). Mun. Colipa, Marts 1841 (MO). Mun. Juchique de Ferrer , 850 m, 30 Aug 1981, A.P Vovides 682 (XAL); 1,250 m, 6 May 1981, G. Castillo-Campos 1710, 1763, 1768 (XAL); 1,300 m, 7 May 1981, G. Castillo-Campos 1815, 1824, 1981 (XAL); 1,370 m, 24 Jul 2008, M. Vazquez-Torres 8633 (CIB). Mun. Vega de Alatorre , 650 m, 21 Jul 1981, B. Guerrero & J.I. Calzada 1826 (XAL) ; 550 m, 21 Jul 1981, G. Castillo-Campos 2033 (XAL).

Figures

Figure 3. Comparison of qualitative characters of microsporophylls A Ceratozamia fuscoviridis B C. brevifrons C C. chamberlainii D C. kuesteriana.

Figure 12. Seeds of Ceratozamia A C. sancheziae B C. alvarezii C C. brevifrons. D C. subroseophylla.

Figure 14. Distribution of Ceratozamia species A C. alvarezii B C. aurantiaca C C. becerrae D C. brevifrons.

Figure 15. Plants of Ceratozamia in habitat A C. alvarezii B C. aurantiaca C C. becerrae D C. brevifrons E C. chamberlainii F C. chimalapensis G C. decumbens H C. delucana I C. euryphyllidia J C. fuscoviridis K C. hondurensis L C. huastecorum.