Etymology: An anagram for Peru. Historical notes: Distinguishing features: Zamia urep may be distinguished by the combination of symmetrical almost perfect elliptic to broadly lanceolate leaflets with sharply serrated margins and acuminate apices and unarmed petioles and rachis. In general appearance, Zamia urep is most similar to Z. obliqua and indeed looks like a smaller version of the latter. It differs from Z. obliqua in being a smaller plant with subterranean, lacking prickles on the petiole and rachis, and have more prominently toothed leaflet margins. Also, the cones are much smaller and with longer peduncles. Distribution and habitat: Conservation: Zamia urep is known from only five collections from three nearby localities even though over the past 50 years many expeditions have collected in the area where it is found. Thus, it is assumed that the species is quite rare. Not yet listed in the 1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants. Description:
Stem subterranean, to 20 cm long, 2.5-5 cm diam. Cataphylls narrowly lanceolate, 3-4 cm long, 5-8 mm wide. Leaves 1-4, 40-70 m long; petiole smooth, 20-40 (48) cm long, canaliculate adaxially at the base and flat distally; rachis without prickles, 8-15 cm long, 2-5 pairs of leaflets. Leaflets broadly lanceolate to elliptic, corieacous, obliquely cuneate basally, acuminate apically, margins sharply serrulate in upper third, the median ones 10-20 cm long, 3-6 cm wide. Pollen cones 1-2, tan to light brown, cylindrical, 3-6 cm long, 0.6-1 cm diam.; peduncle 18-22 cm long, 2-3 mm diam.; microsporophylls with sterile tip composed of six steeply inclined facets surrounding a centrally depressed terminal facet, sporangia present on both the adaxial and abaxial surfaces of the fertile region. Seed cones tan to light brown, cylindrical to ovoid-cylindrical, 3.5-5 cm long, 1.5-2.5 cm diam; peduncle 13-16 cm long, 3-5 mm diam. Seeds unknown.
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