Zamia fischeri - Thin-Leaf Zamia

Thin-Leaf Zamia is a rare and endangered, dwarf cycad. It is an unusual species in that the stem and seed cones are unusually large given the size of the leaves and overall stature of the plant. It is distinguished by its small papery leaves with no prickles. Leaves 3-8, 15-30 cm long; leaf-stalk 5-10 cm long, without prickles; axis with 5-9 pairs of leaflets. Leaflets are papery. lanceshaped, narrowed basally, pointed apically, margins with numerous serrations in the upper half, the larger median leaflets 3-5 cm long, 0.5-1 cm wide. Pollen cones tan, cylindrical to ovoid-cylindrical, blunt apically, 5-7 cm long, 1-2 cm diam.; flower-cluster-stalk 1.5-2.5 cm long. Seed cones greenish-gray to gray, cylindrical to ovoid-cylindrical, tapering apically, 8-12 cm long, 4-7 cm diam. Thin-Leaf Zamia is endemic to San Luis Potosi and neighboring Querétaro, Mexico. Found from 400-800 m in well-drained rocky sites in evergreen pine-oak forest and cloud forest.