Ceratozamia

/ˌsɛrətəˈzeɪmiə/ noun

Definition

A genus of cycads native to Central America and Mexico, ancient plants with horn-like leaflets.

Etymology

From Greek 'keras' (horn) + 'zamia' (a type of cycad). Named for the distinctive horn-like appearance of the leaflets on the fronds of these primitive plants.

Kelly Says

Ceratozamia plants are living fossils that have barely changed for 200 million years—they existed when dinosaurs roamed Earth, and some individual plants are over 1,000 years old, making them some of the oldest living organisms.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.