Syagrus longipedunculata Noblick & Lorenzi (2010b: 36)

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

35. Syagrus longipedunculata Noblick & Lorenzi (2010b: 36) . Type:— BRAZIL. Goiás: Niquelândia, collected on the road to Alto Paraíso , ca. 20 km from the town of Niquelândia , 530 m, –14.47, –48.30, 12 December 2009, H. Lorenzi, K. Soares & R. Campos 6790 (holotype HPL!, isotypes RB!, SP!, BHCB!, NY!, K!)

Figure 51 plate, Figure 49 map.

Small to medium, solitary palm, 40–60 cm tall. Stem subterranean, very short, nearly acaulescent with a rhizome 6–14 × 5–6 cm. Leaves 3–6 in the crown, more or less erect, longest leaves often slightly twisted; sheath ca. (312– 14 cm long; pseudopetiole 8–14 cm long with fibrous or smooth margins; petiole 5–11 × 0.5–1.0 cm, 0.3–0.7 cm thick; rachis 46–89 cm long; leaflets, 20–45 along each side of the rachis, often distributed regularly or evenly along the rachis, but sometimes in clusters of 2–4 near the leaf base, lanceolate, grayish blue, glabrous on both sides, but a waxy bloom sometimes on abaxial surface, with acute, asymmetrical apex; no ramenta scales

134 • Phytotaxa 294 (1) © 2017 Magnolia Press

NOBLICK A REVISION OF THE GENUS SYAGRUS

Phytotaxa 294 (1) © 2017 Magnolia Press • 135 or tomentum present where the leaflets are inserted on the rachis, and none along the abaxial midvein; basal leaflets 9–16 × 0.2–1.1 cm, middle leaflets 10–20 × 0.7–1.2 cm, apical leaflets 3–15 × 0.2–0.9 cm. Inflorescence spicate, prophyll ca. 6–10 × 1.2–2.0; peduncular bract 20–41 cm long, the expanded part 8–19 × 1.1–2.0 cm, perimeter 2.2–3.3 cm; inflorescence axis 8.0– 15.5 cm long, peduncle 12–31 cm × ca. 3–5 mm, elliptical in cross-section, glabrous; rachis absent, rachilla 1, 4.5–19 cm long; staminate flowers 14–18 × 4.5–7.0 mm, sepals 3.0–4.7 × 1.0– 1.2 mm, glabrous, petals 12.4–16.0 × 2.9–3.5 mm with acute tips, nerves indistinct to slightly raised, stamens 5.3–6.0 mm long, anthers 3.5–4.1 mm long, filaments ca. 1.2–1.8 mm long; basal pistillate flowers elongate conical, glabrous, ca. 11–12 × 5–6 mm, sepals 7–10 × 4.9–5.5 mm, petals 7.5–8.2 × 3.5–4.7 mm, slightly valvate, valvate tips ca. ¼ to 1/3 the length of the petals, ca. 2–3 mm long, glabrous, pistil 6.5–7.1 × 3.5 mm, glabrous, stigmas 2.4–2.5 mm long, staminodal ring ca. 0.7–1.2 mm high and 6-dentate. Fruit globose or somewhat ellipsoid, 2.0–2.3 × 1.3–1.7 cm, green when mature with a little bit of indument on the epicarp, mesocarp ca. 2–3 mm thick, succulent and fibrous (pulpy); endocarp ca. 1.5–1.7 × 1.0– 1.3 cm with suture lines visible at the base but obscured at the apex, ca. 0.8–1.0 mm thick; seed nearly globose, ca. 0.9–1.0 cm in diameter with no internal cavity, endosperm homogeneous. Germination remote-tubular.

Common name:— ariri-mirim.

Etymology:— The specific epithet, longipedunculata , means long peduncle and refers to the strikingly long peduncle seen in this acaulescent palm.

Distribution and habitat:— Endemic to the Brazilian state of Goiás, in rocky, gravelly, sandy clay soils rich in nickel in sparsely vegetated cerrado at 500 m, but disappearing above 700 m, just east of Niquelândia.

Conservation:— This palm is not found within any reserve and has been collected in only one location. It grows in soils that are very rocky and of no agricultural value. The area is currently being used as a pasture and it is subject to frequent burning. A portion of the population has already been compromised by the widening of the road. This species is classified as critically endangered, CR B2ab(i,ii,iii,iv).

Phenology:— Flowers and older fruits have been seen in December.

Uses:— This palm is somewhat ornamental due to the silvery leaf and may be used as a landscape palm.

Notes:— This is a small acaulescent palm with normally spicate inflorescences, globose fruit and a long peduncle, growing in nickel-rich soils.

Representative specimens:— BRAZIL. Goiás: Niquelândia; Estrada de acesso a Barra do rio Bagagem com o Tocantins, 450 m, –14.02, –48.28, 20 July 1995, T.B. Cavalcanti et al. 1479 ( CEN) ; Niquelândia: ca. 20 km E of town on Niquelândia road (GO-237), ca. 542 m, –14.47, –48.30, 15 January 2014, L.R. Noblick & H. Lorenzi 5643 ( ESA!, HPL!, UB!, K!, FTG!, NY!); Niquelândia; Futuro reservatório do Aproveitamento Hidrelétrico, 400 m, – 14.47, –48.45, 23 November 1992, R.F. Vieira et al. 1352 ( CEN) ; Niquelândia; Estrada da Jacira-antiga estrada de terra, 480 m, –13.80, –48.60, 21 June 1995, B.M.T. Walter et al. 2388 ( CEN) .

Figures

FIGURE 49. Distribution maps of Syagrus lilliputiana, S. loefgrenii, S. longipedunculata, S. lorenzoniorum, S. macrocarpa, S. mendanhensis, S. menzeliana, S. microphylla and S. minor.

FIGURE 51. Syagrus longipedunculata. A. Palms in habitat. B. Habit with infructescences. C. Discolorous leaf with inflorescence and infructescence. D. Infructescence and fruits. E. Endocarps. F. Close-up of fruits. G. Staminate flowers above with the first two dissected to show the stamens and pistillate flower below showing a pistil, pistil with a petal, sepal and petal, partially dissected pistillate flower, sepal and pistillate flower intact. H. Underground stem. All grids are in centimeters. All images taken by Harri Lorenzi.