Zamia magnifica is a species of plant in the family Zamiaceae. It is endemic to Oaxaca, Mexico, found only in the La Chinantla region of Sierra Norte de Oaxaca. It is rare and threatened by habitat loss.
Etymology The species epithet magnifica is from the Latin magnificus (magnificent), referring to the appearance of the large, pendant leaves of the plant.
Description Zamia magnifica has a subterranean stem, erect or recumbent, with one or more braching apexes in height and in diameter. Cataphylls (modified leaves that protect the base of the true leaves) are covered with brown hairs. There are three to four pendant compound leaves on the apex of each stem. The leaves are long and wide. Leaves emerge pink in color and densely covered in hairs, changing through caramel to dark green with sparse hair coverage at maturity. petioles (leaf stems) are long with only a few very small prickles. The rachis (leaf shaft) is long, with no or very few very small prickles on the lower third. There are 10 to 17 pairs of leaflets on a leaf. The leaflets are up to long and up to wide, oblong to oblanceolate with a sharp point. The leaflet edges are toothed on the outer quarter of the leaflet.
Like all cycads, Zamia magnifica is dioecious, with individual plants being either male or female. There are one to three male strobili (cones) on a plant, on peduncles (stalks) that are tall and in diameter. The cones are conical, erect, long and in diameter, green at first, becoming tan to light brown to light orange when mature. There is one female strobilus on a plant. They are cylindrical, erect, tall and in diameter, and yellowish at maturity. The strobili sit on peduncles that are long and in diameter. The seeds are ovate, long, and in diameter. The sarcotesta (seed covering) is reddich-orange at maturity.
Distribution and habitat Zamia magnifica has only been found in only one location, about in area, in the La Chinantla region in Oaxaca. The habitat is tropical rainforest on a karst landscape. Z. Magnifica grows only on cliff faces, one of four such Zamia species in Mesoamerica (the others are Zamia cremnophila in Tabasco, Mexico, Zamia sandovalii in Honduras, and Zamia meermanii in Belize). The known population of about 2,000 individual plants is actively protected by the local population. That population is reported to use the seeds of the plant as an insecticide, mixing ground seeds with sugar or honey, with the flies that feed on the bait killed by the toxins in the seeds. The land surrounding the known population is being converted to pasture and coffee and maize production.
Acceptance Zamia magnifica has been accepted as a valid species by the World List of Cycads, Plants of the World Online, and World Flora Online.
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