Syagrus campestris (Mart.) Wendland (1854: 17)

Noblick, Larry R., 2017, A revision of the genus Syagrus (Arecaceae), Phytotaxa 294 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

6. Syagrus campestris (Mart.) Wendland (1854: 17) . Cocos campestris Martius (1826: 121) . Calappa campestris (Mart.) Kuntze (1891: 982) . Lectotype (designated by Dahlgren 1959, plate 380):— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Martius s.n. (M! [F neg. 18559])

Cocos urbaniana Dammer (1902: 22) . Syagrus urbaniana (Dammer) Beccari (1916: 468) . Lectotype (designated by Dahlgren 1959, plate 396):— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Caraça [Ouro-Preto], 18 February 1884, A.F.M. Glaziou 15558 (lectotype P! [F neg. 38693], isolectotypes C, F!, FI, K!, MO!, R!).

Figure 9 plate, Figure 4 map.

Short, clustering to solitary palm, 1–3 m tall. Stem ca 1–3 m × 8–15 cm. Leaves 6–10; sheathing leaf base ca. 36– 46 cm long; pseudopetiole 30–50 cm long; petiole 4–26 × 0.6–1.0 cm, 0.3–0.5 cm thick; rachis 52–74 cm long with brown indument; leaflets linear lanceolate with asymmetric tips, initially lighter green on the abaxial surface, 35–64 along one side, in clusters of 2–5, inserted at various angles, giving the leaf a plumose appearance, no ramenta scales or tomentum present where the leaflets are inserted on the rachis but scattered patches along the proximal portions of the abaxial midvein; basal leaflets 14–26 × 0.1–0.35 cm, middle leaflets 18–33 × 0.8–1.4 cm, apical leaflets 4.0–10 × 0.1–0.25 cm. Inflorescence unilaterally branched; prophyll 14–23.5 × 3 cm; peduncular bract 30–66 cm long, expanded portion 21–22 × 4.0– 5.6 cm, including a short beak, 2.8–5.6 cm perimeter, 3–4 mm thickness, narrow, woody, sulcate, exterior with scattered thin indument; peduncle ca. 15–27 × 0.6–1, 0.3–0.6 cm thick, elliptical in cross-section, glabrous; inflorescence axis 15–49 cm long; rachis 8–9 cm long; rachillae 8–20, 8–13 cm long, glabrous; staminate flowers 11.3–13.2 × 2.2–3.7 mm at the apex, 13.9–15.3 × 2.9 mm at the base, green to yellow, sepals 1.8–3.2 × 0.8–1.5 mm, glabrous, with no raised nerves, petals 9.5–12.4 × 2.2–3.3 mm with acute tips, nerves indistinct, stamens 4.7–6.0 mm long, anthers 3.4–4.8 mm long, filaments 1.7–2.7 mm long, pistillode ca. 0.3–1.0 mm long; pistillate flowers elongate conical, 14.5–17.5 × 5.1–6.2 mm at the apex, 20–25 × 7.0 mm at the base, yellow, glabrous, sepals 13.2–15.3 × 4.4–5.8 mm, petals 13.2–15.0 × 4.0– 5.8 mm, valvate tip ca. 3/5 the length of the petals, 8.0– 9.5 mm long, glabrous, pistil 10.2–11.7 × 3.3–4.4 mm, glabrous, stigmas ca. 5.1 mm long, glabrous, staminodal ring ca. 1.8–2.2 mm high, 6-dentate. Fruit ellipsoid, 2.8–3.5 × 2.2–3.0 cm, yellowish-green when mature, glabrous, epicarp less than 0.5 mm thick, mesocarp 5–6 mm thick, succulent and fibrous; endocarp ca. 2.5–3.3 × 2.0– 2.7 cm, 3 mm thick on the sides, 5 mm thick at its ends; seed ellipsoid ca. 17 × 9 mm, endosperm homogeneous. Germination remote-tubular.

Common name:— acumã, coco-babão

Etymology:— The specific epithet, campestris , means pertaining to plains or fields, the typical habitat of this palm.

Distribution and habitat:— The species appears to be restricted to the campo rupestre (and high elevation cerrado) mainly in regions of eastern Minas Gerais, Brazil, in rocky sandy soils. However similar plants have been spotted in the Triangular Mineiro and even in western Bahia, which may be extensions of its distribution or perhaps an undescribed species.

Conservation:— This species appears to have a wide distribution in the northeastern portion of Minas Gerais and does not grow in agriculturally valuable soils. Although it is not clear if it grows within the boundaries of any parks or reserves, there is still no immediate threat. It is classified as least concern, LC.

Phenology:— It fruits abundantly in spring and summer (October–March).

Uses:— This clustering palm has ornamental potential with its small size and attractive leaves. The mesocarp is edible in spite of its mucilaginous texture.

32 • Phytotaxa 294 (1) © 2017 Magnolia Press

NOBLICK

Notes:— This species is similar to S. flexuosa , but the leaflets are more coriaceous, perhaps a bit shorter, a bit wider and definitely stiffer. The leaflets are not pendulous at their tips, as are those of S. flexuosa , but are held stiff

A REVISION OF THE GENUS SYAGRUS

Phytotaxa 294 (1) © 2017 Magnolia Press • 33 and straight with no or little bending. Near Turmalina, S. flexuosa and S. campestris grew at the same elevation, so leaf differences are not due to elevation. It also appears to have smaller inflorescences and fruits than S. flexuosa . Cross-sections of the leaflets of S. campestris reveal that they have considerably more fibers in the leaves than S. flexuosa . Glassman (1987) synonymized it with S. flexuosa , but the name has now been restored ( Lorenzi et al. 2010). It differs from S. cataphracta by having slightly wider middle leaflets, no waxy bloom on the underside of the leaf, and the presence of ramenta scales along the proximal portion of the midvein, which are lacking in S. cataphracta .

Representative specimens:— BRAZIL. Goiás: Vallée de Chica Costa, 10 August 1894, A.F.M. Glaziou 22261 (C, F, FI, G, K, MO, P! US); Minas Gerais: Terra da Carassa, 1816–1821, A. de Saint-Hilaire 287 (P 02147217! ...219) [P02147220 leaf looks like a S. campestris definitely not S. flexuosa ]; Almeida Campos [near Uberaba], nas proximidades do municipio, 2 August 2009, E. Franco 67 (HPL!) [possible new species]; Uberaba, 30 November 2009, H. Lorenzi et al. 6783 (HPL!); Bocaiúva, na estrada para Montes Claros, a ca. de 21 km de Montes Claros, 3 February 2009, H. Lorenzi 6591 (HPL!); Cacaritiba, 20 January 2010, H. Lorenzi 6802 (HPL!); Grão Mogol, estrada para Virgem da Lapa, ca. 2 km de Grão Mogol (próximo a antena de televisão), 900 m, –16.56, –42.88, 13 July 2001, V.C. Souza et al. 25863 (ESA!); Minas Novas, Mata de Açauã, –17.22, –42.59, 10 October 1987, M.C.T. Pedralli & J.R. Stehmann s.n. (BHCB 13397); Montes Claros, ao sul do municipio de Montes Claros, sentido Bocaiúva, –16.91, –43.87, 9 June 2009, R. Campos s.n. (HPL 12544); Montes Claros, a cerca de 17 km do inicio da rodovia trevo para Bocaiúva, –16.90, –45.15, 13 November 2008, H. Lorenzi 6536 (HPL!); Montes Claros, just S of the town of Bocaiúva, –16.91, –43.87, 9 June 2009, L.R. Noblick & R. Campos 5536 (HPL!); Turmalina, no distrito de Caçaratiba, a 4 km de Rodovia BR-367 (sentido Caçaratiba), –17.29, –42.73, 17 December 2003, H. Lorenzi 4278 (HPL!).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Distribution maps of Syagrus allagopteroides, S. amara, S. angustifolia, S. botryophora, S. caerulescens, S. campestris, S. campylospatha, and S. cardenasii.

FIGURE 9. Syagrus campestris. A. Specimen near Caçaratiba, Minas Gerais with roadside dust. B. Garden specimen from Jardim Botânico Plantarum in Brazil collected near Turmelina, Minas Gerais. C. Leaf showing stiffer leaflets that are not pendulous. D. Ramenta on midvein of leaflets. E. Persistent fibers from leaf sheath. F. Inflorescence. G. Infructescence.