''Ceratozamia microstrobila'' is a species of

plant Plants are the eukaryotes that form the Kingdom (biology), kingdom Plantae; they are predominantly Photosynthesis, photosynthetic. This means that they obtain their energy from sunlight, using chloroplasts derived from endosymbiosis with c ...

in the family

Zamiaceae The Zamiaceae are a family of cycads that are superficially palm or fern-like. They are divided into two subfamilies with eight genera and about 150 species in the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Australia and North and South America. ...

Description

''Ceratozamia microstrobila'' has small glossy green leaves that are about 70 centimeters long. The new leaves of this plant take the color of bronze to darker brown. The plant produces small pollen cones. These cones have the color of yellowish green.

Distribution

The plant is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

, within the state of

San Luis Potosí San Luis Potosí, officially the Free and Sovereign State of San Luis Potosí, is one of the 32 states which compose the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 59 municipalities and is named after its capital city, San Luis Potosí. It ...

and in the southern portion of

Tamaulipas Tamaulipas, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas, is a state in Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into 43 municipalities. It is located in nor ...

. It is native to a terrestrial environment that includes deciduous cloud forests and oak woods on limestone. It is found on Ejido las Abridas mountain in the

Sierra Madre Oriental The Sierra Madre Oriental () is a mountain range in northeastern Mexico. The Sierra Madre Oriental is part of the American Cordillera, a chain of mountain ranges (cordillera) that consists of an almost continuous sequence of mountain ranges that ...

State, and the very southern portion of

. There are at least 6 wild populations. This species likes a well shaded area that is well drained. It is threatened by

habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss or habitat reduction) occurs when a natural habitat is no longer able to support its native species. The organisms once living there have either moved elsewhere, or are dead, leading to a decrease ...

. It is recorded to be vulnerable to becoming an endangered species due to the decrease in population. In the past fifty years, the population of this ''Ceratozamia microstrobila'' has decreased between 30 and 50 percent.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3665010 microstrobila Endemic flora of Mexico Flora of San Luis Potosí Flora of Tamaulipas Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Flora of the Sierra Madre Oriental