Syagrus lorenzoniorum

Syagrus (sih-AHG-ruhs) lorenzoniorum (loh-rehn-zoh-nee-OHR-uhm)
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Scientific Classification
Genus: Syagrus (sih-AHG-ruhs) Species: lorenzoniorum (loh-rehn-zoh-nee-OHR-uhm)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
America
Morphology
Habit: Solitary Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Coco de quarta mirim - Mirim Quarter Coconut (Eng.)

Habitat and Distribution

Brazil Southeast. [[]]

Description

Palm with stem solitary, short, ringed, 2–4 m in height and 9–16 cm diam., with the apical part of the trunk (area where leaves inserted) swollen or dilated. Leaves ascending and slightly arched, 8–17 in the crown, 1.5–2.5 m long; sheath 28–70 cm long, with dark chestnut-brown fibrous margins or a fabric matting of the same fibers; pseudopetiole with fibrous margins also, 15–50 cm long; true petiole nearly always absent or to less than 2 cm long × 2–2.5 cm wide; rachis (90–) 160–270 cm long; leaflets 55–84 along each side of the rachis, distributed irregularly in clusters of 2–4 (–6) and inserted in one plane or forming a V, linear, rigid, concolorous, medium green to slightly paler on the lower surface, with acute apex, ramenta (tufts of scales or wooly tomentum) present along the lower abaxial vein and where leaflets inserted on the rachis, basal leaflets 28–52 × 0.3–0.8 cm, middle leaflets 31–56 × 2.1–3.3 (–4.0) cm, and apical leaflets 10–19 × 0.3–0.6 cm. Inflorescences branched with peduncle 60–110 cm long; prophyll 34–57 × 3–4.5 cm; peduncular bract 80–160 cm, expanded part 46–80 × 4–10 cm; inflorescence axis 33–50 cm long; rachis 17–24 cm long, with 25–47 primary branches 11–35 cm long; staminate flowers 9–11 × 3–4 mm, sepals 1.0–1.3 × 0.5 mm, glabrous, keeled and connate at the base, petals 8–10 × 3 mm with acute tips, nerves indistinct to slightly raised, stamens 5 mm long, anther 4.0–4.5 mm long, filaments 2 mm long; basal pistillate flowers elongate conical, glabrous, ca. 11 × 5 mm (apical flowers ca. 8 × 4 mm), sepals imbricate 10–11 × 3–5 mm, petals glabrous, imbricate at the base but slightly valvate at the tips, 8 × 4 mm, pistil glabrous, 5 × 2 mm diam., stigmas 3, 3 mm long, glabrous, staminodial ring ca. 1 mm high and 6-dentate. Fruits globose to oblong, 2.5–3.0 × 2.5–2.8 cm, yellowish-green when mature, endocarp nearly globose 2.4–2.6 cm in diameter and 3–4 mm thick; seed 1.0–1.1 diam. with a large central cavity. (Dr.s LARRY R. NOBLICK & HARRI LORENZI - Instituto Plantarum de Estudos da Flora] Editing by edric.

Culture

Cold Hardiness Zone: 10a

Comments and Curiosities

Described only in 2010 as a new species, this palm from rock outcrops in Espírito Santo in southeastern Brazil sports a slender, solitary trunk topped by an ascending crown of unstalked, very slightly plumose leaves. The large, round fruits are edible. It is closely related to S. picrophylla but easily distinguished by these round fruits, ramenta on the leaflet veins, and its lack of a petiole. (RPS.com)