Syagrus botryophora (Mart.) Martius (1845: 292)

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

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/phytotaxa.294.1.1
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03A087AB-FFBC-BD43-0AEC-FF5A0486FE0C
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Syagrus botryophora (Mart.) Martius (1845: 292)
status

Treatment

4. Syagrus botryophora (Mart.) Martius (1845: 292) View in CoL . Cocos botryophora Martius (1826: 118) . Calappa botryophora (Mart.) Kuntze (1891: 982) . Lectotype (designated by Glassman [1972: 88]):— BRAZIL. Bahia: Martius s.n. (M!)

Figure 7 View FIGURE 7 plate, Figure 4 View FIGURE 4 map.

Moderate, solitary, unarmed, palms. Stem erect, columnar, 6–18 m tall, 13–25 cm in diameter, with leaf scar intervals not measured. Leaves (8–)10–19; sheathing leaf base (30–)50–75 × 5–8 cm, with fibrous margins, the abaxial surface often covered with a brown tomentum; pseudopetiole 40–50 cm long; petiole 1.5–10 × 2–3.5 cm, 1.2–2 cm thick; rachis 178–280(–295) cm long; leaflets green adaxially, slightly paler green, and glabrous abaxially, (76–)103–149 along one side, regularly distributed in one plane, but the two planes form a V with each other with a recurved rachis; no ramenta scales or tomentum present where the leaflets are inserted on the rachis, and none or only a few inconspicuous ones along the abaxial midvein, basal leaflets 37–50 × 0.3–1.3 cm, middle leaflets (31–)43–72 × 2.2–3.9 cm, apical leaflets 13–45 × 0.4–1.5 cm mostly with symmetric tips. Inflorescence erect or pendulous, spirally branched; prophyll ca. 55 × 11 cm; peduncular bract ca. (48–) 58–85 cm long, expanded portion 40–67 × 10–33(–38) cm, bearing a (2.5–)4–10(–12) cm beak, 8–12 mm thick, woody, deeply sulcate, green-gray to gray on exterior, white becoming purple in interior, deeply convex in shape; peduncle ca. 11– 28 × 1.5–2 cm; inflorescence axis 30–69 cm long; rachis 6–22 cm long; rachillae 25–60, (10–) 19–51 cm long, each rachilla, especially lower ones, subtended by a bract 4–6(–12) × 5–10 mm; basal staminate flowers 12–14 × 6–8 mm, white to cream, apical flowers 10–11 × 6–8 mm, sepals 1.5–2 × 2–3 mm, petals 8–11 × 4–7 mm on apical flowers, 12–13 × 7–10 mm at the base, glabrous, 1–2 mm thick with broadly acute tips, nerves indistinct, stamens 5–9 mm long, anthers 4–9 mm long, filaments 1–3 mm long, pistillode absent to 1 mm long, 3(–5) parted; pistillate flowers 8–12 × 7–10 mm, white to greenish-white, sepals 7–10 × 6–9 mm, petals 6–9 × 5–6 mm, barely valvate at the tip, glabrous, venation usually not apparent, pistil 5–8 × 3–4 mm, mostly glabrous, but at times a few sparse hairs at the very base, stigmas 3 mm long, staminodal ring ca. 0.5–1.5 mm high. Fruit ellipsoid, 3.5–5.0 × 2.2–3.0 cm, persistent perianth (cupule) light brown, 12–15 mm wide, 6–8 mm deep, ring 2 mm in height, epicarp smooth to fine fibrous, often with a bit of tomentum at apex, yellowish-green to yellow, when fruit is mature, less than 1 mm thick, mesocarp mucilaginous, sweet, succulent and fibrous, 1–2 mm thick; endocarp 3–4 × 2–2.4 cm, 1.5–2 mm thick,, smooth surface, bony, trivittate, smooth within, medium brown, with no clusters of fibers; seed 2–3 × 1.3–1.5 cm, endosperm homogeneous. Germination remote-tubular.

Common name:— pati, patioba (used especially for immature forms with undivided leaves).

Etymology:— The specific epithet, botryophora , comes from two Greek derivatives meaning cluster bearing and probably refers to the compact clusters of fruits.

Distribution and habitat:— This species grows along the Eastern Atlantic coast of Brazil (southern Sergipe, Rio Real, to northern Espírito Santo). It grows on the Atlantic forest coastal plain (below 400 m) in red to yellow clay lateritic soils. In Bahia, it is found all along the coast, being most abundant in the southern Bahian rain forests. It grows best within the confines of the forest environment in lateritic clayey soils. It is a rapidly growing palm that can quickly take advantage of any opening in the canopy.

Conservation:— This species is widely distributed in the Atlantic rainforest where much of the forest has been removed for timber and to clear the land for pasture. However, S. botryophora is a pioneer species, producing lots of fruits and seeds, which germinate readily and grow quickly. The Atlantic forest is very fragmented; nevertheless there are several reserves (CEPEC) and national parks (Monte Pascoal, etc.) where this palm is protected. There is no immediate threat and it is classified as least concern, LC.

Phenology:— Flowers May through January with fruits maturing February through June.

Uses:— It provides wood for construction ("ripas") and for this reason is often destroyed close to habitations ( Bondar1939a). Its trunk is used locally for rural construction and its fruits are rich in edible oil. The fruits have a thin endocarp and the oil-rich seeds are easily extracted. It is an extremely ornamental plant with landscape potential in tropical and subtropical countries. It germinates within 3–5 months. Rapid growth and a certain tolerance to mild freezes make it a great candidate for horticulture, but it is not very tolerant of catastrophic wind events and can be toppled or snapped.

A REVISION OF THE GENUS SYAGRUS

NOBLICK

Notes:— Syagrus botryophora is easily distinguished from all other Syagrus palms by its very thick (8–12 mm) peduncular bract; thick (1–2 mm), creamy white, broadly acute staminate petals with almost rounded tips; strongly recurved leaf rachis; and regularly arranged leaflets lying in a single plane, but forming a V with the opposite side. Only S. pseudococos has thick peduncular bracts; and similar but larger, thick staminate petals with rounded tips. However, its staminate petals are yellow, not white; it has ruminate and not homogenous endosperm; and a very distinctive endocarp with a “Chinese hat” apex.

This is one of the fastest growing Syagrus . Measurements made at Montgomery Botanical Center, estimate its growth rate at 1.5 m a year (A. Henderson pers. comm.). The younger trees hold onto their lower leaves for an extended period of time, but eventually the trunk becomes self-cleaning .

Representative specimens:— BRAZIL. Bahia: G. Bondar s.n. (F-619734!, F-619760!, F-619764!); A.F.M. Glaziou 17854 (FI);, 1–2 km SW of Araçás and W of BA 093, Fazenda Papuçu, 50–100 m elevation, –12.17, – 38.43, 23 November 1988, L.R. Noblick & R. Soeiro 4690 (BAH!, BH!, CEPEC!, F!, K!, NY!); Belmonte, Estação Experimental de Gregório Bondar (CEPLAC/CEPEC), 7 km E of the village of Barrolândia, –15.86, –38.88, 50– 100 m, 16 January 1989, L.R. Noblick 4739 (CEPEC!, F!, K!, NY!, RB!, US!); Belmonte, Barrolândia, Estação Gregório Bondar (EGRGB/CEPLAC), ca. 7 km W of Barrolândia, 40–50 m, –15.85, –38.90, 29 September 1994, L.R. Noblick et al. 5002, 5004 (IPA!); Cairu, Ilha de Tinharé, Fazenda Pilhões ca. 0.5 km NE of Cairu on the opposite side of the estuary, 0–15 m, –13.50, –39.05, 9 December 1988, L.R. Noblick 4720 (AAU!, ALCB!, CEPEC!, F!); Cardeal da Silva , 6–7 km N of Cardeal da Silva , 50–100 m, –11.95, –37.92, 1 December 1988, L.R. Noblick & R. Soeiro 4700 (CEPEC!, F!, FTG!, HRB!, IPA!); Dom Macedo Costa, Fazenda Mocambo, –12.93, – 39.17, 30 May 1985, L.R. Noblick & M.J. Lemos 3812 (F!, HUEFS!); Entre Rios, Litoral Norte, –11.93, –38.08, 12 December 2000, M.L. Guedes 7679 (ALCB); Fazenda Rio do Negro, ca. 15 km southeast of Entre Rios, –12.02, – 38.03, 10 July 2012, A. Popovkin 1165 (HUEFS); Ilhéus, 1835, M. Blanchet 100j (G!); Ilhéus, Ramal entr. km 2 estr. Vila Rio Engenho/Sto. Antonio. Fazenda Theobroma prox. marg. Rio Santana, –14.79, –39.05, 1 May 1988, L.A. Mattos Silva 2359 (CEPEC!, MBM!); Itamaraju, Fazenda Pau-brasil, ca. 5 km a NW de Itamaraju. Folha SE-24 (17-40d), 19 September 1978, S.A. Mori et al. 10710 (CEPEC!); Itambé, Rodovia BA-265, km 8 do trecho BR-415 (cruzamento)/Caatiba e a 15 km NW de Itapetinga em linha reta, prox. a Fazenda São João. Região de Mata Mesofila Sul Baiana , 400 m, 3 March 1978, S.A. Mori et al. 9388 (CEPEC!); Jandaíra, 4–5 km S of Jandaíra, small remnant coastal rain forest in a narrow valley, 100–150 m, –11.57, –37.78, 3 December 1988, L.R. Noblick & R. Soeiro 4708 (CEPEC!, F!, HRB!, MBM!); Jussarí, ca. 7.5 km da estrada Jussari/Palmira, ramal a esquerda acesso p/ a sede Faz. Teimoso. RPPN Serra do Teimoso, –15.16, –39.53, without date, P. Fiaschi 1646 (CEPEC); Lage, 8 km W of Lage, secondary forest, 4 July 1969, S.F. Glassman & J.T. Medeiros-Costa 8724 (BH!, F!, HRB, MO!, RB!); Mucuri, Fazenda Martinica, ca. 2 km S of Rio Mucuri and 4–5 km W of the BR 101, 50–100 m, – 18.08, –39.65, 3 February 1989, L.R. Noblick & Brito 4796 (CEN!, CEPEC!, F!, K!); Nova Viçosa, 22 km SE of the village of Helvécia on the –18.08, –39.65, property of Bahia Sul Cellulose, 50–100 m, –17.88, –39.37, 2 February 1989, L.R. Noblick & Brito 4782 (CEPEC!, F!, K!, MO!); Paraguaçu, –12.27, –38.97, 25 February 2002, M.L. Guedes 9506 (ALCB); Porto Seguro, Reserva Ecológica da CEPLAC, 150 m, –16.62, –39.29, 22 September 1985, J.L. de S. Lima & J.T. Medeiros-Costa 58 (HTSA!); Col. near the intersection on the Eunopolis-Porto Seguro road and the Rio-Salvador highway, 21 January 1975, R. Read & Daniels 3476 ( US!); Porto Seguro, área da Estação Ecológica do Pau-Brasil (ESPAB), ca. de 16 km a W de Porto Seguro, Rod. BR-367 (Porto Seguro/ Eunápolis), –16.38, –39.13, 1 April 1986, F.S. Santos 563 (CEPEC); Porto Seguro, área da Estação Ecológica do Pau-Brasil (ESPAB), ca. de 16 km a W de cidade; Santo Cruz Cabrália, –16.27, –39.02, 17 November 2001, Pacheco 53 (ALCB); São Sebastião do Passé, Lamarão do Passé, mata 300E/003, 17 December 1982, L.R. Noblick & I. Britto 2512 (HUEFS!); Salvador, Agua Fria, Colonia de Congugy, 29 September 1918, H.M. Curran 14 (GH, US!); Santa Cruz Cabrália, Estação Ecológica do Pau Brasil (CEPLAC/CEPEC), 16–17 km W of Porto Seguro and 47 km E of Eunápolis on BR 367, 40–50 m, –16.38, –39.13, 21 January 1989, L.R. Noblick 4762 (CEPEC!, F!, K!, SP!); Santa Cruz Cabralia, 16 km W Porto Seguro, Rod. BR-367 (Porto Seguro/Eunápolis), Area da ESPAB, – 16.38, –39.13, 24 July 1986, F.S. Santos 655 (CEPEC!); Ubatã, vicinity of Gongogi, coming from Ubata, 17 January 1975, R. Read 3445 ( US!); Una, Reserva Biológica do Mico-leao (IBAMA). Entrada no km 46 da Rod. BA-001 Ilhéus/Una, –15.29, –39.08, 14 April 1993, L. Amorim 1263 (ALC, CEPEC, NY); Una, 1 km W of the city of Una at the Estação Experimental de Lemos Maia (CEPEC/CEPLAC), –15.30, –39.07, 12 January 1989, L.R. Noblick 4737 (CEPEC!, F!, FTG!, K!); Uruçuca, 45 km de Uruçuca, –14.59, –39.28, 15 April 1978, S.A. Mori & Kallunki 9897 (CEPEC!, NY!); Espirito Santo: Conceição da Barrra, Norte do ES, entre o Corrego da Preguiça e

A REVISION OF THE GENUS SYAGRUS

Phytotaxa 294 (1) © 2017 Magnolia Press • 29 Rio Itaúnas , 10 November 1953, A.P. Duarte 3782 ( JBRJ) ; Conceição da Barra, Área 213 da Aracruz Celulose S.A, –18.59, –39.73, 23 March 1992, O.J. Pereira et al. 3115 ( VIES) ; Linhares, Reserva Florestal da CVRD, canteiro ao lado da casa de hóspedes, 17 September 1987, H.Q. Boudet Fernandes 2191, 2195 ( MBML!, RB!) ; Linhares, Reserva Florestal da CVRD, 22 September 1987, H.Q. Boudet Fernandes 2225 ( MBML!) ; Linhares , 27 April 1989, D.A. Folli 913 ( CVRD) ; Linhares , 23 November 1989, D.A. Folli 1013 ( CVRD) ; Linhares , área de viveiro, A.C. Marcato et al. 348 ( CVRD) ; Pinheiros, Reserva Biológica de Córrego do Veado , trilha da anta, –18.37, – 40.21, 14 August 2010, Ribeiro et al. 236 ( VIES) . Minas Gerais: 1905, Simard s.n. ( US-17854 ) .