Zamia
(from zamia, loss; a name given by Pliny to barren Pine cones, and hence applied by Linnaeus to this genus, in allusion to the sterile appearance of the male fructification). ORD. Cycadaceae. A genus comprising about thirty species of handsome, stove or greenhouse, perennial plants, resembling Palms and, in some particulars, Ferns; they are all natives of tropical America and the West Indies, one only extending up to the Southern United States. Leaves few, appearing one after another, pinnate; pinnae broad or narrow, entire or serrated; petioles smooth or spinulose. Cones glabrous or rarely furfuraceous, solitary or two or more together; males oblong-cylindrical, with many series of superposed, peltate scales, on thick footstalks; females similar, but larger and thicker. Caudex (sometimes a dwarf trunk) simple, lobed, or branched, smooth or scarred, naked, epigaeous or nearly hypogaeous. The species best known to cultivation are here described. They thrive in a mixture of equal parts of good loam and peat, with a little silver sand added, and prefer a position where they would be shaded from bright sunshine in summer, and a temperature not lower than 60deg. in winter. In summer, they should be freely watered, both at the root and overhead. When sick, it is a good plan to shake all the soil away from their roots, wash them carefully, cut away all decayed parts, and repot them in fresh soil. They should then be plunged in bottom heat, and watered carefully till new growth appears. Propagated by division in the cases where the stems are clustered; by seeds and offsets where division is not possible. Except Z. integrifolia, the North American species, all are stove plants.
Z. amplifolia (ample-leaved).* l. erect; leaflets two pairs, broadly ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous, yellowish-green, 11in. long, 3in. to 4in. broad, strongly ribbed on both sides; rachis angular; petioles 15in. to 16in. long, purplish, terete, puberulous, with scattered, minute prickles. Caudex oblong, obtuse, glabrous. Columbia, 1879. A handsome plant, probably now lost to cultivation.
Z. angustifolia (narrow-leaved). l., adults glabrous; leaflets four to twenty on both sides, mostly alternate, narrow-linear, rather obtuse, 6in. to 8in. long, scarcely narrowed at base; petioles terete beneath, unarmed. cones 2in. to 2 1/2in. long; males reddish-tomentose, cylindrical; females thicker, obtusely cuspidate; peduncles erect, rufous-pubescent. Caudex ovoid-conical. West Indies.
Z. calocoma (beautiful-haired).* l. 3ft. long, very slenderly pubescent; leaflets eighty on each side, alternate and opposite, the larger ones 4in. long, long-linear, acuminate, slightly narrowed at base, parallel-nerved, the margins revolute; petioles 4in. long, terete beneath. Trunk dwarf. Antilles. Microcycas calocoma is now the correct name of this species. Z. Chigua (Chigua). l. 4ft. long; leaflets alternate, very numerous, spreading, long-lanceolate, acuminate, obsoletely denticulate, glabrous, about sixteen-nerved; petioles thickly, and rachis sparsely, prickly. cones, males cylindrical, 5 1/4in. to 7 1/2in. long, cuspidate; females much larger, cuspidate. Trunk cylindrical, 8in. high. Darien, 1847. SYNS. Z. Lindleyi, Z. princeps, Aulacophyllum Ortgiesi.
Z. Fischeri (Fischer's). l., leaflets three to six on each side, 1 1/2in. to 2 1/2in. long, about 1/2in. broad, the lower ones alternate, the upper ones opposite, lanceolate, acuminate, attenuated at base, slightly inequilateral, the upper margin argutely serrulated one-third to half its length; rachis 1 1/2in. 2 3/4in. long, glabrous or nearly so, produced above the leaflets in a mucro; petioles nearly terete, 2in. or more long. Central America, 1849. (G. C. n. s., xix., p. 213.) Z. Fraseri (Fraser's). A garden synonym of Macrozamia Fraseri. Z. furfuracea (scurfy).* Jamaica Sago-tree. l., leaflets ten to thirteen on each side, opposite or alternate, obovate-oblong or obversely lanceolate, spinulose-serrulated from the middle to the apex, serrated and sometimes unequally repand-lobed at the extremity, acute or obtuse, below densely, above and on the rachis and petioles slightly, scurfy; rachis almost unarmed; petioles prickly. cones, females yellow-scurfy, 2in. to 4in. long, ovoid-elongated. Trunk cylindrical. Mexico, 1691. (B. M. 1969; R. G. 932.) Z. Ghellinckii (Ghellinck's). A synonym of Encephalartos Ghellinckii. Z. integrifolia (entire-leafleted). Jamaica Sago-tree. l. spreading, glabrous; leaflets seven to sixteen on each side, alternate, rarely opposite, the larger ones 4in. to 7in. long, oblong or obovate-oblong, entire or obtusely serrulated at apex; petioles unarmed. cones slightly rufous-tomentose; males 2 1/2in. long; females 3 1/2in. long. Trunk short, globular or oblong. Southern United States, &c., 1758. Greenhouse. (B. M. 1851.) Z. Kickxii (Kickx's). l. glabrous; leaflets about twenty-four on each side, alternate or sub-opposite, nearly all spreading, the lower ones smaller, the middle ones 2in. long, 1/2in. broad, lanceolate-elliptic, the margins, especially the lower one, serrulated; rachis sub-terete; petioles slender, unarmed. cones, males cylindrical, elongated, acute, 2in. long. Cuba. Z. Leiboldii (Leibold's). l., leaflets fourteen to twenty-two on each side, truncate or acute at apex, opposite or alternate, twenty to twenty-five nerved; petioles semi-terete. Trunk 8in. high. Mexico, 1843. (R. G. 929, under name of Z. L. angustifolia.) Z. Lindeni (Linden's). l. lanceolate, 6ft. long, on elongated petioles; leaflets forty to forty-four on each side, sessile, glabrous, 8in. long, elongated-lanceolate, somewhat falcate, dentate-serrated in the upper half. Trunk cylindrical, 3ft. or more high. Ecuador, 1875. A stately plant. (I. H. 1875, 195.) Z. Lindleyi (Lindley's). A synonym of Z. Chigua.
Z. Loddigesii (Loddiges'). l., leaflets erecto-accumbent, long-lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, slightly narrowed at base, acuminate at apex, 7 1/2in. long, slightly thickened on the margins, serrated from the middle (or nearly so) to the apex; rachis slightly spiny. Caraccas, 1844. (R. G. 926.) Z. media (medium). A synonym of Z. pumila.
Z. Miquelii (Miquel's). A garden name for Macrozamia Fraseri. Z. montana (mountain-loving). l. 4ft. to 5ft. long, forming a terminal tuft; leaflets eight to ten pairs, 1ft. or more long, 2in. to 4in. broad, oblanceolate to linear-oblanceolate, abruptly acuminate, with one prominent tooth and a few obscure ones; petioles dusky-tomentose at base, beset throughout with scattered prickles. Trunk 4ft. to 5ft. high, 9in. thick. Columbia, 1882.
Z. muricata (rough). l., leaflets six to eleven pairs, alternate and sub-opposite, oblong or obversely oblong or oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, obscurely spiny-serrulated from the middle to the apex; petioles terete, prickly. cones 3 1/4in. to 4in. long, cylindrical, sub-acute at apex; peduncles glabrous. Trunk glabrous. Central America, 1849. Z. obliqua (oblique). l. unarmed, glabrous or covered with a close pubescence; leaflets seven to ten on both sides, ovate-lanceolate, obtusely acuminate at apex, attenuated at base, about 8in. long and nearly 3in. broad. Trunk slender, attaining a height of 6ft. to 7ft. Columbia, 1878. (G. C. n. s., xvii., p. 461; I. H. 1877, 289.) Z. Ottonis (Otto's). l. glabrous, 1ft. to 2ft. long; leaflets nine to fourteen pairs, alternate and (the upper ones) opposite, oblong-or obovate-lanceolate, obtuse, the larger ones 1 1/2in. to 2in. long, argutely serrulated towards the apex, especially on the lower margin; petioles unarmed. cones 1 1/2in. long; males fuscous-pubescent, cylindrical; females thick, cuspidate; peduncles 1 1/2in. long, clothed with fuscous and white pubescence. Caudex tuberous, fusiform, 2 1/2in. long. Cuba.
Z. picta (painted).* l., leaflets spotted with white; petioles thicker and more pubescent than in Z. muricata, of which Z. picta was long considered a variety; it is, however, a much handsomer plant, very distinct from that species. Mexico.
Z. prasina (grass-green). l., leaflets sixteen or seventeen pairs, oblanceolate-cuneate, denticulated towards the apex, bright grass-green above; petioles terete, slightly furrowed in front, and beset with a few white prickles. Honduras, 1881.
Z. princeps (princely). A synonym of Z. Chigua.
Z. pumila (dwarf). l., leaflets eighteen to twenty on both sides, obovate-oblong, obtuse, entire or obsoletely serrulated, 2in. to 2 3/4in. long; petioles unarmed, scurfy-pubescent. cones 1 1/2in. to 3 1/2in. long, ellipsoid, obtuse. Florida and West Indies, 1812. Stove or greenhouse. (B. M. 2006.) SYN. Z. media (B. M. 1838).
Z. pygmaea (pigmy). l. 5in. to 8 1/2in. long; leaflets three to ten pairs, opposite and alternate, obliquely sub cuneate at base, oval-oblong or oval, the larger ones 1 1/4in. long, serrated to the middle; petioles terete, unarmed, 2 3/4in. long. cones, males 1in. long, somewhat ovoid-globose, on long peduncles. Caudex growing underground. West Indies. Plant dwarf, highly glabrous. (B. M. 1741.) Z. Roezlii (Roezl's). l. 6 1/2ft. long, forming an elegant crown; leaflets 12in. to 16in. long, linear, acute, falcate, glabrous, shining, longitudinally furrowed. cones, females large, cylindrical, obtuse. Trunk thick. New Grenada, 1873. (I. H. 1873, 133-4.) Z. Skinneri (Skinner's). l., leaflets usually four pairs, opposite or alternate, oblong, acute at both ends, coriaceous, shining, spiny-serrulated from the middle to the apex, the larger ones 1ft. long, 3 1/2in. broad; rachis and petioles prickly. cones, males three or four, aggregated, elongated-cylindrical, shortly pedunculate, 6in. long, ferruginous-pubescent. Central America, 1851. (B. M. 5242; F. d. S. 2212.) SYN. Aulacophyllum Skinneri.
Z. tonkinensis (Tonkin). l. pinnatifid, slightly recurved, glabrous, of a beautiful green; leaflets sessile, lanceolate, acuminate at apex, the margins undulated; petioles cylindrical, woolly, furnished with very robust spines. Trunk slender, cylindrical, erect, wholly clothed with large, round, fuscous scales. Tonkin. (I. H. 1885, 547.) This plant is now referred to Cycas. Z. villosus (villous). A synonym of Encephalartos villosus. Z. Wallisii (Wallis').* l. solitary, pinnate; leaflets few, lanceolate, plaited, 1ft. long; petioles reddish, prickly. Trunk short and fleshy. New Grenada, 1875. This plant is allied to Z. Skinneri.