Chamaedorea dammeriana

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Chamaedorea
(kahm-eh-doh-REH-ah)
dammeriana
(dahm-mehr'-ee-ahn-ah)
Chamdam0001z.jpg
Scientific Classification
Genus: Chamaedorea
(kahm-eh-doh-REH-ah)
Species:
dammeriana
(dahm-mehr'-ee-ahn-ah)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
America
America.gif
Morphology
Habit: Solitary
Leaf type: Pinnate, rarely bifid.
Height: 1m
Trunk diameter: 7-8mm
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Sirik, palma bonita - Costa Rica.

Habitat and Distribution

Chamaedorea dammeriana is found in COSTA RICA in wet or moist forest on the Atlantic and
Chamdam0002z.jpg
Pacific slopes from 200-700 m elevation. C. dammeriana is one of the most wide ranging and variable species in Costa Rica, occurring on both the Atlantic and Pacific slopes from one end of the country to the other.

Description

A solitary palm from the understory, of lower elevation rainforests in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panamá, which holds a spread-out crown of approximatel 15 spread out leaves with only a few leaflets, the terminal pair of which is much larger than the lower ones. It is generally erect from 1-2 m tall, with slender stems from 7-8 mm in diameter that are green and prominently ringed. Its bright orange infructescences, with shiny black fruits when ripe, are particularly attractive. Editing by edric.

Culture

It is an easily grown plant for the warm temperate and tropical garden, and also does well indoors.

Comments and Curiosities

Indigenous peoples in the Talamanca region ofLimon Province in Costa Rica refer to C. dammeriana as sirik and maintain that it has magical powers to heal various ailments. Medicine men place a leaf of the species near to and pointed at the ill person. A transfer of " healing power" occurs when the medicine man blows onto the leaf and toward the afflicted individual. (Hodel)

Chamaedorea is a dioecious genus with male and female flowers occuring on separate plants. The Greek is translated to mean “gift on the ground” - possibly referring to the small stature and pleasant surprise of finding such a gem at your feet.

The epithet honors German botanist, Udo Dammer.


External Links

References

Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.

Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos.

Special thanks to Palmweb.org, Dr. John Dransfield, Dr. Bill Baker & team, for their volumes of information and photos.

Glossary of Palm Terms; Based on the glossary in Dransfield, J., N.W. Uhl, C.B. Asmussen-Lange, W.J. Baker, M.M. Harley & C.E. Lewis. 2008. Genera Palmarum - Evolution and Classification of the Palms. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. All images copyright of the artists and photographers (see images for credits).

Hodel, D.R.1992. Chamaedorea Palms, The Species and Their Cultivation. The International Palm Society.


Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.

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