Reinhardtia latisecta

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Reinhardtia (rine-HARD-tee-ah)
latisecta (laht-ih-SEHK-tah)
15693206827 6c28058652 o.jpg
Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. Photo by Dr. Reinaldo Aguilar.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Reinhardtia (rine-HARD-tee-ah)
Species:
latisecta (laht-ih-SEHK-tah)
Synonyms
Malortiea latisecta
Native Continent
America
America.gif
Morphology
Habit: Clustering
Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Giant Windowpane Palm.

Habitat and Distribution

Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Is an understory palm of the
Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. Photo by Dr. Reinaldo Aguilar.
humid lowland rainforests, up to 1000 m. elevation.

Description

A medium sized clustering palm 8-9 stems, between 3-8 metres high. The bright green, irregularly divided leaves, that sometimes have small "windows" (occasional Fenestrations) between the ribs on each side of the rachis. One of the larger Reinhardtia. Editing by edric.

Stems clustered, in clumps of 8-9, to 8 m tall, and 6-7 cm in diameter. Leaves about 10 in the crown, petiole to 45 cm long; blade 1-1.5 m long, with 2-3 broad compound leaflets, the apical one much broader than the others, all with small windows between the folds on either side of the rachis. Inflorescences longer than leaves. with a long peduncle; flowering branches 15-19; fruit ellipsoid or ovoid, 1.7 cm long, purple-black; seed with deeply ruminate endosperm. (Dr. Andrew J. Henderson)

Clustering palm (to: 8 m), slender ringed trunk (diameter: 6.5 cm). Leaves irregularly paripinnate (length: 12-30 cm), consisting of 2-3 cuneiform pinnae (long: 60 cm, width: 15 cm), petiole glabrescent (length: 35-45 cm). Flowers monoecious, grouped in panicles, axillary and interlayer compounds (length: 20 cm), with 24 male stamens. Inflorescences much longer than the leaves, stem length, divided into 15-19 rachillae, flowers are white, slightly elliptical, red, then mature, black-purple, fruits ellipsoid to obovoid (length: 17 mm, diameter: 11 mm). (From the French and Spanish)

Culture

It likes a warm, moist shaded location. Cold Hardiness Zone: 9b

Comments and Curiosities

"Incredibly beautiful clustering irregularly pinnate species from central America where it can grow up to 25' tall. It has wide, partially to completely divided leaflets but rarely has any 'windows' at the leaf bases like the smaller species, R gracilis. Not sure why it's call the window pane palm, then. But regardless, a great palm. Too bad it's so tropical in its needs... can't even begin to survive here in So Cal." (Geoff Stein)



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).

Dr. Andrew J. Henderson, Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas.


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

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