Zamia integrifolia
Encyclopedia
Zamia integrifolia is a small, tough, woody cycad
native to the southeast United States
(Florida
, Georgia
), the Bahamas and the Caribbean
south to Grand Cayman
and Puerto Rico
(possibly extinct on this island).
This cycad produces reddish seed cones
with a distinct acuminate tip. The leaves
are 20-100 cm long, with 5-30 pairs of leaflets (pinnae). Each leaflet is linear to lanceolate or oblong-obovate, 8-25 cm long and 0.5-2 cm broad, entire or with indistinct teeth at the tip. They are often revolute, with prickly petioles. It is similar in many respects to the closely related Zamia pumila
, but that species differs in the more obvious toothing on the leaflets.
This is a low-growing plant, with trunk that grows to 3-25 cm high and diameter, but is often subterranean. Over time, it forms a multi-branched cluster, with a large, tuberous root system, which is actually an extension of the above-ground stems. The leaves can be completely lost during cold periods, with the plant lying dormant in its tuberous root system, allowing this cycad to be relatively cold hardy. The plant can survive up to USDA region 8b (this can be quite northern: for instance, Seattle is 8b). The stems and leaves will regenerate after the cold period subsides with full foliage (Whitelock, 2002).
Like other cycads, Zamia integrifolia is dioecious
, having male or female plants. The male cones are cylindrical, growing to 5-16 cm long; they are often clustered. The female cones are elongate-ovoid and grow to 5-19 cm long and 4-6 cm in diameter.
Zamia integrifolia inhabits a variety of habitats with well-drained sands or sandy loam
soils. It prefers filtered sunlight to partial shade. Populations are presently limited to Florida
, southeastern Georgia
, central Cuba
and the Dominican Republic
. It was also native in southern Puerto Rico
and Haiti
, but appears to have been extirpated from those areas due to intensive land use.
Controversy has long existed over the classification of Zamia in Florida
; at one extreme all the American populations have been included in a broadly defined Zamia pumila
(Eckenwalder 1980), and at the other several species have been recognized under various names (e.g., Z. augustifolia, Z. floridana, Z. silvicola, and Z. umbrosa). The Flora of North America
treats all of the American populations as Z. integrifolia. Genetically, the differences between populations cannot be explained by habitat variability. Studies conducted by Ward (1978) showed that five different Florida populations of Z. integrifolia with identical cultivation produced distinct leaf morphology, suggesting that there may be too much genetic diversity amongst these Florida Z. integrifolia, not to mention geographically isolated populations, to consider them a single species.
It is worth noting this plant's critical importance to the Eumaeus atala
butterfly. The butterfly, thought extinct until recently, is dependant on the Zamia integrifolia, as well as several other species of Zamia, for its survival. This is because at the larval stage, the Eumaeus atala caterpillar eats exclusively the leaves of the coontie. A half dozen caterpillars can completely strip a coontie bare, meaning that a large coontie population is needed to sustain the Eumaeus atala population
All parts of Zamia integrifolia are toxic to humans if eaten raw. Preparation of edible starch from the roots requires complex processing. All plant parts are poisonous to dogs and livestock.
and wild sago, refer to the former commercial use of this species as the source of an edible starch. Coontie (or koonti) is derived from the Seminole Native American
language conti hateka.
Cycad
Cycads are seed plants typically characterized by a stout and woody trunk with a crown of large, hard and stiff, evergreen leaves. They usually have pinnate leaves. The individual plants are either all male or all female . Cycads vary in size from having a trunk that is only a few centimeters...
native to the southeast United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
), the Bahamas and the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
south to Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman is the largest of the three Cayman Islands and the location of the nation's capital, George Town. In relation to the other two Cayman Islands, it is approximately 75 miles southwest of Little Cayman and 90 miles southwest of Cayman Brac.-Geography:Grand Cayman encompasses 76% of...
and Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
(possibly extinct on this island).
This cycad produces reddish seed cones
Conifer cone
A cone is an organ on plants in the division Pinophyta that contains the reproductive structures. The familiar woody cone is the female cone, which produces seeds. The male cones, which produce pollen, are usually herbaceous and much less conspicuous even at full maturity...
with a distinct acuminate tip. The leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are 20-100 cm long, with 5-30 pairs of leaflets (pinnae). Each leaflet is linear to lanceolate or oblong-obovate, 8-25 cm long and 0.5-2 cm broad, entire or with indistinct teeth at the tip. They are often revolute, with prickly petioles. It is similar in many respects to the closely related Zamia pumila
Zamia pumila
Zamia pumila, or Coontie, is a small, tough, woody cycad of the West Indies and Cuba. Zamia pumila was the first species described for the genus and hence is the type species for the genus Zamia and the family Zamiaceae....
, but that species differs in the more obvious toothing on the leaflets.
This is a low-growing plant, with trunk that grows to 3-25 cm high and diameter, but is often subterranean. Over time, it forms a multi-branched cluster, with a large, tuberous root system, which is actually an extension of the above-ground stems. The leaves can be completely lost during cold periods, with the plant lying dormant in its tuberous root system, allowing this cycad to be relatively cold hardy. The plant can survive up to USDA region 8b (this can be quite northern: for instance, Seattle is 8b). The stems and leaves will regenerate after the cold period subsides with full foliage (Whitelock, 2002).
Like other cycads, Zamia integrifolia is dioecious
Dioecious
Dioecy is the property of a group of biological organisms that have males and females, but not members that have organs of both sexes at the same time. I.e., those whose individual members can usually produce only one type of gamete; each individual organism is thus distinctly female or male...
, having male or female plants. The male cones are cylindrical, growing to 5-16 cm long; they are often clustered. The female cones are elongate-ovoid and grow to 5-19 cm long and 4-6 cm in diameter.
Zamia integrifolia inhabits a variety of habitats with well-drained sands or sandy loam
Loam
Loam is soil composed of sand, silt, and clay in relatively even concentration . Loam soils generally contain more nutrients and humus than sandy soils, have better infiltration and drainage than silty soils, and are easier to till than clay soils...
soils. It prefers filtered sunlight to partial shade. Populations are presently limited to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, southeastern Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, central Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
and the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. It was also native in southern Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, but appears to have been extirpated from those areas due to intensive land use.
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
; at one extreme all the American populations have been included in a broadly defined Zamia pumila
Zamia pumila
Zamia pumila, or Coontie, is a small, tough, woody cycad of the West Indies and Cuba. Zamia pumila was the first species described for the genus and hence is the type species for the genus Zamia and the family Zamiaceae....
(Eckenwalder 1980), and at the other several species have been recognized under various names (e.g., Z. augustifolia, Z. floridana, Z. silvicola, and Z. umbrosa). The Flora of North America
Flora of North America
The Flora of North America North of Mexico is a multivolume work describing the native plants of North America. These days much of the Flora is available . The work is expected to fill 30 volumes when completed...
treats all of the American populations as Z. integrifolia. Genetically, the differences between populations cannot be explained by habitat variability. Studies conducted by Ward (1978) showed that five different Florida populations of Z. integrifolia with identical cultivation produced distinct leaf morphology, suggesting that there may be too much genetic diversity amongst these Florida Z. integrifolia, not to mention geographically isolated populations, to consider them a single species.
It is worth noting this plant's critical importance to the Eumaeus atala
Eumaeus atala
The Atala, Eumaeus atala, is a small colorful butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in southeastern Florida, the Bahamas, and Cuba. Its coloration and habits are unique among butterflies within its range....
butterfly. The butterfly, thought extinct until recently, is dependant on the Zamia integrifolia, as well as several other species of Zamia, for its survival. This is because at the larval stage, the Eumaeus atala caterpillar eats exclusively the leaves of the coontie. A half dozen caterpillars can completely strip a coontie bare, meaning that a large coontie population is needed to sustain the Eumaeus atala population
All parts of Zamia integrifolia are toxic to humans if eaten raw. Preparation of edible starch from the roots requires complex processing. All plant parts are poisonous to dogs and livestock.
Common names
This plant has several common names. Two names, Florida arrowrootFlorida arrowroot
Florida arrowroot was the commercial name of an edible starch extracted from Zamia integrifolia , a small cycad native to North America.-Use:...
and wild sago, refer to the former commercial use of this species as the source of an edible starch. Coontie (or koonti) is derived from the Seminole Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
language conti hateka.