Photo of two caterpillars (one partially hidden behind a leaflet), which are orange with yellow spots, on a Zamia leaflet.

Photo of the adult butterfly, which is mostly black with blue spots, but the abdomen and immediately adjacent wings are orange-red. Photo by Scott Zona CC BY-NC 2.0.

Zamia spp. is the host plant for Eumaeus atala caterpillars. Both larvae & adults are aposematic. Zamia contains cycasin, a carcinogenic & neurotoxic glucoside. This toxin is not to be trifled with! 📷: larvae by Judy Gallagher CCBY2 #Zamiaceae #Aposematism #Botany 🌾🧪🌱

Photo of a disintegrated seed cone. The orange-red fleshy seeds are scattered on the ground.

Another example of a fleshy seed coat (sarcotesta) is found in Zamia ssp. The seeds of Zamia integrifolia (📷: Ed Siarkowicz CCBYNC4) are dispersed by birds & mammals, but what are the animals getting? I have not found any nutritional analyses of the sarcotesta. #Zamiaceae #dispersal #Botany 🌾🧪🌱

Male strobili of Macrozamia riedlei

Female strobili of Macrozamia riedlei

Male strobili of Macrozamia riedlei

Male strobili of Macrozamia riedlei

#Macrozamia riedlei #Zamiaceae!
Producing their #strobili at the moment.

Close-up photo of a bipinnately compound leaf. Each leaflet is lime-green and has a serrate margin.

I’ve never seen this cycad in the wild either, but its leaves are so distinctive. This is Bowenia serrulata of Queensland, #Australia. The bipinnate leaves of this genus are unique among #cycads. #Zamiaceae #Botany #PlantScience 🌾🧪

Close-up photo of two small, acaulescent plants with pinnate leaves growing among dry grasses in an open habitat. Some surrounding shrubs and vines are visible in the background.

Where I grew up in South Florida, populations of our native cycad, Zamia integrifolia, were devastated by early settlers’ schemes to extract starch from the stems & roots. Later, their habitat was converted to farms & homes. Fortunately, it still survives. #Zamiaceae #cycads #Botany #PlantScience 🌾🧪

Close-up photo of a shiny pinnate leaf with narrow, lanceolate leaflets.

In Honduras in 1994, I didn’t know the local common name for a cycad, but when my guides described this plant as “like a fern, but poisonous,” I knew we were on the right track! This is Zamia standleyi, looking very smart. #Zamiaceae #cycads #Botany #PlantScience 🌾🧪

Photo of two men standing under the crown of a tall cycad with stiff, pinnate leaves.

Left to right: our guide in Honduras, Ramón Martínez, my colleague, Chuck Hubbuch, & Dioon pectinatum. We didn’t see cones or seeds, but I was thrilled to see this genus in the wild. I can’t believe this was 3 decades ago! #Zamiaceae #cycads #Botany #PlantScience 🌾🧪

Photo of a small, acaulescent cycad growing among grasses and other herbaceous plants. A person’s hand is pointing to the center of the plant where two short, erect cones are present.

More time traveling to western Cuba in 1994! This is the aptly named Zamia pumila. Look at those tiny cones! #Zamiaceae #cycads #Botany #PlantScience 🌾🧪

Photo of a woman and a man standing next to a short cycad surrounded by seasonally dry forest.

Most cycads are rare & endangered in the wild, but I’ve been fortunate to run into them occasionally. Up this week: various #cycad photos from past expeditions. This is Microcycas calocoma endemic to w. Cuba. That’s the late Dr. Angela Leiva & me from 30 years ago! 😱 #Zamiaceae