Zamia fairchildiana

Zamia fairchildiana is a species of plant in the family Zamiaceae. It is found in southeastern Costa Rica and western Panama. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Etymology

The epithet fairchildiana, refers to either the botanist David Fairchild, or his son, the entomologist A. G. B. "Sandy" Fairchild.Template:Sfn

Phylogenetic history

Zamia fairchildiana was orignally defined to include scattered populations from southeastern Costa Rica to the Guna Yala indigenous region in eastern Panama. It was soon recognized that the population in central and eastern Panama was not the species Z. fairchildiana, and there were no known populations of either species between Costa Rica and Colon. The new species in Panama was described and named Z. elegantissima in 1998.Template:Sfn In 2004, two populations in San_José_Province, Costa Rica, that been included in Z. fairchildiana were recognized as belonging to Z. acuminata.Template:Sfn A molecular phylogenetics study in 2019 using DNA and one in 2024 using transcriptomes found Z. fairchildiana to be sister to Z. pseudomonticola and in a clade with Z. acuminata and Z. nana.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Description

The stem of Zamia fairchildiana is erect (tree-like), tall, and in diameter. It has three to ten compound-leaves on the apex of the stem. Leaves are (exceptionally ) long. Petioles (leaf stalks) are (exceptionally ) long and densely covered with prickles. The lower third of the rachis (leaf mid-rib) also has prickles. There are 10 to 30 pairs of leaflets on a leaf. The leaflets are oblong, somewhat sickle shaped, with acute points, and have a few fine teeth near the tip of the leaflet.Template:Sfn

Like all cycads, Zamia fairchildiana is dioecious, with individual plants being either male or female. Male strobili (cones) are cylindrical, long and in diameter, and cream to yellow in color. Female strobili are cylindrical, long and in diameter, and yellow-green to light brown in color. Seeds are ovoid, long, and red in color.Template:Sfn

Reproduction

Unlike some species of Zamia, most Zamia fairchildiana plants produce reproductive cones even when growing in shade. Ripe seeds are visible in Z. fairchildiana female cones before the cones start breaking down, in contrast to seeds of Z. elegantissima, which are not visible until cones do break down.Template:Sfn

Distribution and habitat

The type site for Zamia fairchildiana is in Costa Rica,Template:Sfn It is reported to be abundant around the Golfo Duce in Puntarenas Province on the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica.Template:Sfn A small population of Zamia fairchildiana is in Chiriquí Province in Panama.Template:Sfn It is found in rainforests with about of average annual rainfall.Template:Sfn