Difference between revisions of "Kentiopsis pyriformis"

Since each of the two collected populations of Kentiopsis pyriformis (Kuebini River and inland near Port Boisé) has conspicuous differences, some explanation is needed to justify their inclusion in a single, variable species. The two populations have the same major structural characteristics, both in vegetative and reproductive morphology. Distichous and glabrous juvenile stages, associated with saxophone growth (tillering, and having a heel), highly branched inflorescences with flattened and sharply angled branches, slender rachillae, symmetrical flowers arranged horizontally in the triad, staminate flowers with sharply costate sepals, rather few stamens with short filaments not attenuate apically, white connectives and short pistillodes, pistillate flowers with three staminodes born within one petal, and pyriform seeds are constant and diagnostic characters. Purplish-pink fruits with subapical stigmatic remains and distinctive, elongate, wandering, reticulate mesocarp fibers, may also prove to be good diagnostic characters, although mature fruits are yet unknown from populations near Port Boisé, where only pyriform seeds removed from seedlings have been found so far. The most striking differences in vegetative morphology, concern the habit of the palm and characters of the leaf sheath. Individuals from the coastal population have only 7-8 recurved leaves with a copper-colored sheath bearing small auricles at apex, and pinnae held straight in an open V, while individuals of the inland population have 10-12 spreading leaves with attractive, purplish to burgundy sheaths lacking auricles, terminating in wings, and flat to slightly drooping pinnae. However, exploration in July 1996, south of Goro and on the eastern side of Port Bois mountains, not previously visited, has uncovered additional populations of Kentiopsis pyriformis, with a mix of vegetative characters and sometimes in termediatef orms,w hich show that these features are quite variable and, in fact, lead nearly to a continuum between the two collected populations. In reproductive morphology, the coastal and inland populations differ mainly in the shape of the pistillate flowers (rhomboid or ovoid), and surrounding bracts (forming a tube or not) and other pistillate structures such as stigmas, (recurved or straight) and ovule attachment (lateral or pendulous), but we have made only one collection with pistillate flowers at each location, and thus we do not know the possible variability of these structures. Taxonomic history. Lucien Lavoix, an ardent palm enthusiast, first noticed this palm and brought it into cultivation in the early I970s, using seedlings removed from the Port Boisé population. Donald R. Hodel saw the species in the forest at Touaourouin 1977, and suspected it might be a new species. However, Kentiopsis pyriformis remained undocumented until we made the only collections of mature, flowering, trees in 1995-1996, relying on information from Raymond Lavoix, son of Lucien, and several members of Association Chambeyronia at the New Caledonia Palm Society. (J.-C. Pintaud and D. Hodel. 1998)/Palmweb.

Conservation: Status is critically endangered (proposed). Occupying less Ihan 2 ha, the main population of K. pyriformis at the Kuebini River is unprotected and consists of less than a hundred trunked individuals. Fire severely affected the entire population about 1980, destroying nearly all saplings and damaging trunks of many mature individuals. Despite an abundant and regular production of readily germinating seeds, regeneration remains extremely low due to the difficulty of seedling establishment in an unusually steep, rocky, unstable habitat. In March 1996, Cyclone Beti caused the fall of at least 25% of the adults, nearly all of them more windprone since the earlier fire destroyed protective vegetation and damaged trunks. In one group of eight adults, the cyclone felled seven of them. Farther north along the coast at Touaourou, the forest is restricted to a narrow fringe inland from the road and next to the mountains. Here, burning, clearing for gardens and homes, and recent road improvements and rural electrification have all taken a toll on the forest. Also, native inhabitants probably harvested the palms, perhaps for the edible palm heart or cabbage and/or construction, since not one adult tree has been observed there. Some other small groups composed of a few adults and juveniles occur south of Goro where they are affected by landslides and stream erosion. The Port Boisé population is known from ca. 20 adult trees, less than a hundred juveniles with trunks, and numerous saplings, which locally dominate the understory, and is partly, although marginally, included in a botanical reserve. Felling of trees for construction and edible palm heart has decimated this population. Jean-Marie Veillon (personal communication) reports that as a forestry officer in the 1970s, he cited people for illegal cutting of palms in the Botanical Reserve. (J.-C. Pintaud and D. Hodel. 1998)/Palmweb.

Etymology: The epithet means pear-shaped, and refers to the unusual and distinctive shape of the seeds. (J.-C. Pintaud and D. Hodel. 1998)/Palmweb.

Phenology: Flowers usually occur from November through February with a l5-day delay between anthesis of staminate and pistitlate flowers in the same triad; fruits mature from April through June. Seedlings of Kentiopsis pyriformis have been found germinating on red colluvium, rich in iron oxide. This material originates from the erosion of ultrabasic rocks (peridoite) on nearby slopes. (J.-C. Pintaud and D. Hodel. 1998)/Palmweb.

Arguably the most beautiful in the genus, this species from rainforests in the very south of New Caledonia forms a slender, smooth trunk to about 16 m (52 ft.) tall. The tall, stunning crownshaft is purplish red to copper colored with a thin white waxy layer. The elegantly arching, pinnate leaves are lightly V-shaped in cross section with very stiff, evenly arranged leaflets that give the leaf a very neat and even outline. In cultivation it does well in tropical and frost free, warm temperate climates, but it is still exceedingly rare. Germination is easy but subsequent growth is rather slow. (RPS.com)