familyZamiaceae

Zamiaceae

Horianow
Common names: Sago-palm Family
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 2. Treatment on page 347.

Plants superficially palmlike or fernlike, perennial, evergreen, dioecious. Stems subterranean with exposed apex or aboveground, fleshy, stout, cylindric, simple or irregularly branched. Roots with small secondary roots; coral-like roots developing at base of stem at or below soil surface. Leaves pinnately compound, spirally clustered at stem apex, leathery, petiole and rachis unarmed [with stout spines]; leaflets entire or dentate [spinose], venation dichotomous [netted]; resin canals absent. Cones axillary, appearing terminal, short-peduncled [sessile], disintegrating at maturity; sporophylls densely crowded, spirally arranged, often covered with indument. Pollen cones soon shed, generally smaller and more numerous than seed cones; sporophylls bearing many crowded, small microsporangia (pollen sacs) adaxially; pollen spheric, not winged. Seed cones persistent for a year or more, 1(–2) per plant, nearly globose to ovoid, tapering sharply or blunt at apex; sporophylls peltate, thickened and laterally expanded distally, bearing 2(–3) ovules. Seeds angular, inner coat hardened, outer coat fleshy, often brightly colored; cotyledons 2.

Distribution

Primarily tropical to warm temperate regions, North Americ, Central America, South America, Africa, Australia.

Discussion

Genera 9, species ca. 100 (1 genus, 1 species in the flora).

Lower Taxa

... more about "Zamiaceae"
Garrie P. Landry +
Horianow +
Sago-palm Family +
Primarily tropical to warm temperate regions +, North Americ +, Central America +, South America +, Africa +  and Australia. +
candolle1868a +, johnson1959a +  and schuster1932a +
Zamiaceae +