Ceratozamia becerrae Pérez-Farr., Vovides & Schutzman, Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 146: 124. 2004

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

3. Ceratozamia becerrae Pérez-Farr., Vovides & Schutzman, Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 146: 124. 2004

Fig. 15C

Type.

Mexico. Tabasco: Mun. Teapa, hill Madrigal , Aug 2003, A.P. Vovides 1458 (holotype: XAL [XAL0148355]) .

Description.

Stem 13-38 cm long, 9-15 cm in diameter, epigeous, semi-hypogeous, erect. Cataphylls 2.6-5.7 × 1.3-4.5 cm wide at the base, persistent, triangular, reddish brown, densely brownish tomentose at emergence, glabrous at apex when mature, apex acuminate. Leaves 2-12 (17), 49-210 cm long, descending, light green, glaucous at emergence with whitish gray trichomes, glabrous at maturity. Petiole 35-111.5 cm long, terete, linear, pink at emergence, yellowish green when mature; unarmed to armed with 3-27 thin prickles, 0.02-0.13 cm long. Rachis 30-105 cm long, terete, linear, pink at emergence, yellowish green at mature leaves, generally unarmed. Leaflets 6-15 pairs, opposite to subopposite, insertion in one plane, oblong to oblanceolate, longitudinally curved abaxially to planar, generally basally falcate, coriaceous, flat, green with adaxial and abaxial sides glaucous or glabrous, distal end with entire margins, acuminate to acute, and asymmetrical (rarely symmetrical in apical leaflets) at the apex, attenuate at base, with conspicuous and light-green veins; median leaflets 16-30 × 4.5-8.8 cm, 5.5-11.1 cm between the leaflets; articulations 0.5-1.5 cm wide, green and yellowish. Pollen strobili solitary, 10.8-20 cm long, 2.8-4.0 cm in diameter, cylindrical, erect, green with blackish trichomes at emergence, yellow-cream with blackish trichomes at maturity; peduncle 5-10 cm long, 1.5-2.0 cm in diameter, tomentose, light brown; microsporophylls 0.9-1.37 × 0.7-0.9 cm, discoid with a non-recurved distal face and a deeply lobate fertile portion, infertile portion 0.35-0.39 cm long and linear with straight horns and 0.30-0.45 cm long, 0.70-0.80 cm and an acute angle between the horns. Ovulate strobili 15-23 cm long, 7.5-8.5 cm in diameter, solitary, cylindrical, erect, green with reddish brown trichomes at emergence, green with brown to blackish trichomes at maturity, acute apex; peduncle 5-12 cm long, 1.6-2 cm in diameter, pendulous and erect, tomentose, light brown; megasporophylls 43-56, 6-8 orthostichies with 5-7 sporophylls per orthostichy, 1.7-2.0 × 3.5-4.0 cm, with a prominent distal face, horns straight and 0.70-0.87 cm long, 0.92-1.50 cm between horns with a right angle between the horns. Seeds 1.5-2.4 cm long, 1.2-2.0 cm in diameter, ovate, sarcotesta whitish pink at emergence, light brown at maturity.

Distribution and habitat.

Ceratozamia becerrae is endemic to the mountains of Sierra Madrigal in southern Tabasco and Chiapas States, Mexico (Fig. 14C ), where it occurs on karstic outcrops in evergreen tropical forest and oak forest from 100-800 m.

Etymology.

The specific epithet was established in honor of Professor Marco E. Becerra for his relevant contributions in ethnology, archaeology and floristic research in Tabasco ( Vovides et al. 2004).

Common names.

None recorded.

Uses.

None recorded.

Conservation status.

( IUCN 2021). Endangered; A2ac+4ac; B2ab(i,ii,iv); C1.

Discussion.

Ceratozamia becerrae has oblong and coriaceous leaflets and leaves that have a few thin and short prickles. This species belongs to a cryptic taxonomic group with C. zoquorum and C. santillanii (c.f. Martínez-Domínguez et al. 2017c; Vovides et al. 2020) and is morphologically similar in both vegetative and reproductive characters to C. zoquorum . This species differs from C. santillanii by its peduncle of ovulate strobili more than 3 cm long, but lacks morphological diagnoses with C. zoquorum .

Specimens examined.

Mexico. Chiapas: Mun. Amata ́n , 300 m, J.M. La ́zaro Z. 376 (CHIP). Tabasco: Mun. Tacotalpa , 260 m, 12 Apr 2014, F. Nicolalde-Morejón et al. 1999, 2000 (CIB); 260 m, 12 Apr 2014, L. Martínez-Domínguez et al. 108-127 (CIB); 19 Jan 2001, S. Avendaño R. 5214b (XAL). Mun. Teapa, 100 m, 29 Jan 1985, B.M. Schutzman 645, 648-650 (XAL); 204 m, 22 Feb 2014, F. Nicolalde-Morejón et al. 1968, 1969 (CIB); 800 m, 11 Jun 1989, J.A. Alejandre Rosas 494 (CIB); 204 m, 22 Feb 2014, L. Martínez-Domínguez et al. 35-40 (CIB); 400 m, 16 Apr 1996, M.A. Pérez-Farrera 901 (CHIP, HEM, MEXU); 800 m, 7 Apr 1914, M.E. Becerra s/n (MEXU).

Figures

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.