Coontie : Zamia pumila


Kingdom : Plant
   Phylum : Cycadophyta
          Class : Cycadopsida
               Order : Cycadales
                    Family : Cycadales
                         Genus : Zamia
                              Species : pumila L.

Common name: Coontie, Arrowroot

Description:

Woody, dioecious plant. Stem thick, tuberous, mostly subterranean. Leaves 2-10 dm; petiole smooth, blade pinnately compound, leaflets 6-17 cm long, 2-18 mm wide, thick, leathery, veins parallel often twisted, stiff, dark glossy green, margins often revolute, margins smooth or with small teeth near tip of leaflet.

Leaves of coontie, Photo by David Byres Plants palm-like, evergreen. Pollen and seeds produced in separate cones on separate plants. Cones stalked, the staminate cone more slender than the ovulate cone. Cone scales peltate and spirally arranged. Pollen cones 2-5 per plant in axils of leaves. Numerous pollen sacs produced on lower surface of scales. Male cones soon shed. Seed cones remain on plant for a year or more; cone globose to ovoid, seed bearing scales numerous, thickened, 2 seeds fomed on upper surface of each scale. Seed oblong to ovoid, coat fleshy, brightly colored yellow to orange, inner seed coat hardened. Seeds mature December to March.


Habitat:
 Hammocks, pine-oak woods, scrub forests.

Distribution:

This is the only "cycad" that is native to the United States. It is native to Florida and southeastern Georgia and is widely distributed in the Caribbean. It considered to be an endangered species in Florida and Georgia.


Seeds released by the female cone, Photo by David Byres



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