This species may be no more than a synonym for Zamia poeppigiana Mart. & Eichl.[].

Common Name:

General Information

Zamia lindenii is a slow-growing, evergreen palm-like shrub with an erect, cylindrical stem usually around 80 - 160cm tall, but sometimesup to 400cm, and 18 - 25cm in diameter. Sometimes forming branches as a result of injury, each stem is topped by a crown of 10 - 20 or more, large, arching leaves 150 - 318cm long[, ].
The plant is gathered from the wild for local use as a food and to make an adhesive. It is also sometimes grown as an ornamental[].
Zamia lindenii is classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

The fleshy seeds contain a toxic glycoside that causes headaches, vomiting, stomach pains and diarrhoea if ingested[].
The juice from the plant is very poisonous[].
The starch obtained from the stem is poisonous unless thoroughly cooked[].

Botanical References

Range

Western S. America - Colombia, Ecuador.

Habitat

Forest edges[]. An understorey plant in rainforests, sometimes growing in a thick humus layer overlying brown clay soil; at elevations up to 1,100 metres[, ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Near Threatened
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	4.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Insects
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Zamia lindenii is a native of moist tropical regions in northern S. America, where it is found at elevations up to 1,100 metres. Rainfall is seasonal, averaging around 1,400 - 3,500mm a year, falling mainly from May to November[]
An almost universal requirement for cycads is a well-drained but moisture-retentive soil, and by far the best soils are sandy gravels and light loams which provide the required drainage and aeration necessary for good growth. Cycads will generally not grow well in clay soils unless those soils are heavily amended with sand and organic matter[]. A neutral soil (pH 7), is generally best for most species of cycads and allows the proper absorption of nutrients. A slightly acid soil is better for most cycads than a basic one[].
Plants can commence coning when young and the trunk is only 25 - 30cm tall, female plants sometimes producing up to 5 cones and up to 410 seeds[]. Female cones take 13 months to mature, the plant usually not coning every year[].
Cycad species can usually be transplanted easily even when quite large. The best time for moving them is just before the beginning of a new growing season, the roots being trimmed if they are damaged and perhaps some leaves being removed. New roots should develop quickly as the season progresses[].
Species in this genus form structures known as coralloid roots. These roots branch off from the taproot or secondary roots and are distinctive in that they grow laterally or upward, forming a nodular mass at the apex. These coralloid roots occur slightly below or slightly above the soil surface and generally contain cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae. These are able to fix atmospheric nitrogen and make it available as a nutrient to the plant. The ability to extract this important nutrient from the air explains how many cycad species are able to survive on almost sterile soils[].
A dioecious species, with individual plants producing either all male or all female cones. Therefore both male and female forms of the plant need to be grown if seed is required[]. On very rare occasions, usually when a plant has been under severe stress, it can change sex and produce either all female or all male cones[].
When shedding pollen, the male cones produce a foetid smell reminiscent of humus[].

Edible Uses

All parts of this plant are potentially toxic and should not be eaten unless effective measures are taken to remove the toxins.

Seed[]. Ground into a starch-rich flour[].The three-sided seed is 23 - 30mm long and 13 - 16mm in diameter[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The thick sap is used as a water-soluble glue[].

Propagation

Seed - remove the fleshy coating and surface sow on damp sand. Germination is best at around 23 - 29°c[]. Pot up young seedlings into a rich, moist medium, as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow on at high temperatures without any check to growth until 2 - 3 leaves have been produced at one time, otherwise they may enter dormancy[].

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