Pholidostachys panamensis

Pholidostachys (foh-LEE-doh-stahk-iss) panamensis (pah-nah-MEN-sis)
B. Proximal lips of flower pits regularly shaped, rounded, completely covering pits before anthesis and not recurved (P. panamensis; de Nevers 6767).
Scientific Classification
Genus: Pholidostachys (foh-LEE-doh-stahk-iss) Species: panamensis (pah-nah-MEN-sis)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Please set a value for continent.
Morphology
Habit: Solitary Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
None.

Habitat and Distribution

Panamá. From 8°34'-9°25'N and 78°48'-80°56'W in Panama at

D. Infructescence of P. panamensis (Henderson 3037).

483 (60-768) m elevation in lowland rainforest.

Description

Stems 1.1 (0.1-3.0) m long, 7.4 (4.0-11.0) cm diameter, solitary. Leaves 12 (8-19) per stem; sheaths 21.5 (15.0-27.0) cm long; petioles 102.1 (36.0-150.0) cm long; rachises 126.1 (72.0-155.0) cm long, 8.8 (6.1-11.1) mm diameter; pinnae 6 (5-8) per side of rachis; basal pinna 52.8 (28.5-78.0) cm, long, 5.2 (0.7-10.0) cm wide, angle with the rachis no data; apical pinna 42.4 (32.5-49.5) cm long, 18.0 (10.0-27.0) cm wide, forming an angle of 17 (10-28)° with the rachis. Inflorescences spicate, with a short peduncle, absent rachis, and 1 rachilla, this erect at anthesis; prophylls and peduncular bracts fibrous, covering all or part of the rachilla at anthesis; prophylls 15.2 (11.5-18.5) cm long; peduncular bracts 20.2 (19.0-22.5) cm long, inserted 3.3 (2.0-5.0) cm above the prophyll; peduncles 4.6 (3.5-6.2) cm long, 10.0 (8.2-13.5) mm in diameter; rachilla 1, 13.6(11.5-15.5) cm long, 10.0(8.2-12.1) mm in diameter; proximal lips of flower pits regularly shaped, rounded, completely covering pits before anthesis and not recurved; fruits widely obovoid, without pronounced longitudinal ridges, 28.6 (22.5-32.1) mm long, 20.8 (18.1-24.5) mm in diameter. (Henderson, A.J., A revision of Pholidostachys (Arecaceae) in Phytotaxa 43. 2012)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.

See notes on Pholidostachys kalbreyeri under Excluded Names. It differs from other species in its spicate inflorescences, and widely obovoid fruits, without pronounced longitudinal ridges. (Henderson, A.J., A revision of Pholidostachys (Arecaceae) in Phytotaxa 43. 2012)/Palmweb.

Subspecific variation. There are two separate populations of Pholidostachys panamensis, occurring 170 km apart in Panama. Although sample size is small, the western population, on the eastern end of the Central Cordillera, has shorter stems, shorter petioles, and shorter and thinner basal pinnae than the eastern population, on the western end of the Serranía de San Blas. The western population also occurs at a higher mean elevation- 722 (695-768) m versus 303 (60-450) m. de Nevers (1995) reported that some specimens have bifid inflorescences, but no such specimens have been seen in the present study. (Henderson, A.J., A revision of Pholidostachys (Arecaceae) in Phytotaxa 43. 2012)/Palmweb.

Culture

Cold Hardiness Zone: 10b