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Issue: Vol. 760 No. 1: 3 Jun. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-06-03
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.760.1.4
Page range: 77-92
Abstract views: 0
PDF downloaded: 0

Ceratozamia popolucana (Zamiaceae): A new species from Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, Mexico

Laboratorio de Ecología Evolutiva; Herbario Eizi Matuda; Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas; Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas; Tuxtla Gutiérrez 29039; Mexico
Red de Biología Evolutiva; Instituto de Ecología; A.C.; Xalapa 91070; Mexico
Jardín Botánico “Araceario Thomas B. Croat”; s/n; Comalcalco; Tabasco; Mexico
Laboratorio de Ecología Evolutiva; Herbario Eizi Matuda; Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas; Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas; Tuxtla Gutiérrez 29039; Mexico
Laboratorio de Anatomía Vegetal; Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas; Universidad Veracruzana; Apdo. Postal 294; Xalapa; Veracruz 91000; Mexico
Laboratorio de Ecología Evolutiva; Herbario Eizi Matuda; Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas; Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas; Tuxtla Gutiérrez 29039; Mexico
RIKEN Center for Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical Sciences; Wako; Saitama 351-0198; Japan
endangered species karst tropical rainforest species complex Popoluca region Gymnosperms tropical rainforest

Abstract

Ceratozamia popolucana sp. nov., a newly discovered cycad species from Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve, Veracruz, Mexico, is described and compared with its congeners. Our earlier observations led us to think that these populations belonged to C. subroseophylla or C. dominguezii, based on their geographic location and the general morphological resemblance of the adult individuals. However, there are notable differences in the female and male strobili, trunk shape, and leaf size, which made us hypothesize that these plants represent an undescribed taxon. Through the observations of wild populations over several years, we found that C. popolucana is easily distinguishable by having shorter and thinner trunks, and with shorter leaves than those of C. subroseophylla and C. dominguezii. As a unique trait, C. popolucana has leaves that emerge cherry red with yellowish to whitish tomentum. In addition, while the leaflets of C. subroseophylla are glossy dark green, the leaflets of C. popolucana and C. dominguezii are both olive green. The emerging female cones of C. subroseophylla and C. dominguezii are yellow with reddish pubescence and light orange pubescence, respectively, while those of C. popolucana are light green. Ceratozamia popolucana should be preliminarily assessed as Critically Endangered (CR B2ab(iii)) due to its limited number of populations, ongoing habitat destruction, and highly narrow distribution range.

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How to Cite

Pérez-Farrera, M. Á., Vovides, A.P., Jiménez, P.D., Martínez-Martínez, M.G., Sánchez-Tinoco, M.Y., Moreno-Méndez, G. & Gutiérrez-Ortega, J.S. (2026) Ceratozamia popolucana (Zamiaceae): A new species from Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, Mexico. Phytotaxa 760 (1): 77–92. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.760.1.4