Zea (Corn) Smut

Although, the very large divided leaves resemble palms or tree ferns in overall appearance, Zamia, typical of its cycad relatives, could not differ more greatly from those flowering trees. Zamia species are dioecious, meaning that there are separate male and female plants. The seeds are produced on seed-bearing leaves termed open carpophylls and their thick, soft stems or trunks are composed mainly of storage tissue with very little true wood (pachycaul stem).Zamia is placed in the gymnosperms, an artificial grouping of ancient seed plants that are largely extinct but are still represented in today's plant kingdom by its cycad relatives, the maiden hair trees (Gingko), pine trees, and the gnetophytes. Although each is very different from one another, Zamia and the other gymnosperms produce naked ovules that contrasts with the flowering plants, which produce ovules enclosed in an ovary.