Syagrus mendanhensis Glassman (1968a: 298)

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

38. Syagrus mendanhensis Glassman (1968a: 298) . Type:— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Mendanha , 24 September 1936, W.A. Archer 4086 (holotype BH!, isotype US! [ US-1705631 , 1705632 ])

Figure 55 plate, Figure 49 map.

Small, solitary to clustering palm to less than 1 m tall. Stem ca. 0–0.4 m × ca. 10 cm, nearly acaulescent with a mostly short, subterranean stem. Leaves 4–8; sheathing leaf base ca. 18–25 × 1–2 cm; pseudopetiole 17–50 cm long; petiole 12–15 × 0.7–1 cm, 0.4–0.8 cm thick; rachis 42–85(–102) cm long; leaflets slightly lighter on the abaxial surface, 13–31 along one side, in clusters of 2–4 (occasionally single), inserted at various angles, giving the leaf a plumose appearance, no to few ramenta scales or tomentum present where the leaflets are inserted on the rachis and occasionally along the abaxial midvein; basal leaflets 29–46 × 0.1–0.6 cm, middle leaflets 29–66 × 0.8– 1.3(–1.8) cm, apical leaflets 12–50 × 0.1–0.5 cm with an asymmetric tip. Inflorescence erect, unilaterally branched; prophyll 8–35 × 2–6 cm, glabrous; peduncular bract 45–87 cm long, expanded portion 18–53 × 1.5–6.5 cm, including a 1–3 cm beak, 3–7.5(–8.5) cm perimeter, 1–3 mm thickness, narrow, woody, sulcate, exterior thick tomentose; peduncle ca. 22–49 cm × 4–10 mm, 3–7 mm thick, elliptical in cross-section, tomentose; inflorescence axis 14–35 cm long; rachis 3–16 cm long; rachillae 4–14, with lepidote indument, 7–20 cm long at the apex, 10– 25 cm long at the base; staminate flowers 8–11 mm long at the apex, 11–13 × 3.5–5 mm at the base, green to yellow, sepals 1.5–2 × 1.5–3 mm, glabrous, no visible venation, petals 7–10 mm long at the apex, 12–13 × 2–4 mm at the base with acute tips, glabrous, nerves indistinct, stamens 5–8 mm long, anthers 4.7–6.5 mm long, filaments 1.5–4 mm long, pistillode less than 1 mm long but longer than 0.5 mm, pistillate flowers elongate conical, 11–12 × 5 mm at the apex, 12–14 × 5–6 mm at the base, yellow, sepals 11–13 × 5–6 mm, slightly keeled, nearly glabrous to tomentose at the base, petals 10–12 × 3.5–5 mm, nearly glabrous to brown tomentose near the base with raised nerves, valvate tips ½–2/3 the length of the petal, ca. 5–7 mm long, pistil 7.5–8.5 × ca. 3 mm, mostly glabrous, but tomentose at the base, stigmas 4–5.5 mm long, glabrous, staminodal ring ca. 1 mm high, 6-dentate. Fruit ellipsoid to ovoid, 2.8–3.2 × ca. 1 cm, yellowish green when mature, tomentose at the tip with scaly lepidote scales on the rest of the fruit, epicarp less than 0.5 mm thick, mesocarp ca. 2 mm thick, succulent and fibrous; endocarp ca. 2.5 × ca. 1 cm, 1–2 mm thick along the sides, 3–4 mm thick at the ends; seed more or less ellipsoid, not measured, endosperm homogeneous. Germination remote-tubular.

Common name:— palmeirinha-da-serra.

Etymology:— The specific epithet, mendanhensis , refers to the town of Mendanha, Minas Gerais, Brazil, where the type specimen was collected.

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Distribution and habitat:— Endemic to the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, in the Cadeia do Espinhaço, especially Mendanha, Couto de Magalhães de Minas and to near Tome. It grows in cerrados, in extremely sandy, and rocky soil. It grows in the rocky habits, as well as on the more valuable flatter areas with better soils

Conservation:— This palm is known only from localities within the region of Mendanha and is not growing within the boundaries of any protected reserve or park. In some areas of its range it appears to be rare, but in others it is more common. This palm produces few seeds, is difficult to germinate and is slow growing (Ricardo Pimenta, pers. comm.). Because its locality is restricted to areas around Mendanha, few palms occur in each locality, and its habitat continues to be converted to pasture, it is consider endangered, EN B1; C2a(i).

Phenology:— It fruits sparsely during the spring. Fruits are consumed rapidly by small animals, making it difficult to obtain viable seeds in the wild. The germination is low and occurs in 3–4 months. It tolerates transplanting as adults.

Uses:— This palm has ornamental and landscape possibilities. It tolerates both rocky and sandy soils.

Notes:— This species is often confused as dried specimens with S. pleioclada , but it has a distinctly different growth habit with stiff, erect leaflets, not pendulous and deflexed as in S. pleioclada . The inflorescence is also larger (14–35 vs. 8–14.5 cm) with straighter and longer rachillae (7–25 vs. 0.5–7 cm).

Representative specimens:— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Conto [Couto] de Magalhães de Minas, a 4 km da cidade rumo a Diamantina , 6 May 2004, H. Lorenzi 4843 ( HPL!) ; Couto de Magalhães de Minas , na estrada para Diamantina, –17.96, –43.41, R. Tsuji et al. 1262 ( HPL!, IAC) ; Diamantina, near Mendanha, 1 km S of the Rio Jequitinonha on BR-367, 400–500 m, –18.12, –43.50, 19 February 1992, L.R. Noblick 4844 ( BHCB!, F!, FTG!, K!, MO!, NY!, SP!, US!) ; Mendanha , 5 km SE of Mendanha, 1976, S.F. Glassman 13003 (F!, FTG!) ; Mendanha, a 1 km do Rio Jequitinhanha, na BR 367 no sentido para Diamantina , 18 December 2003, H. Lorenzi 4279 ( HPL!) ; Mendanha, na rodovia para Diamantina , –18.13, –43.52, 6 May 2004, H. Lorenzi 4839 ( HPL!, IAC) ; Mendanha, na rodovia para Diamantina , 725 m, –18.13, –43.52, 30 July 2004, H. Lorenzi 4912 ( HPL!) ; Mendanha , 3 km N of Rio Jequitinonha on BR-367, 400–500 m, –18.12, –43.50, 19 March 1992, L.R. Noblick 4846, 4847 ( BHCB!, FTG!, NY!, US!) ; Mendanha, 4 km ao norte da cidade, Faz. Vaqueiros , 820 m, –18.12, –43.48, 21 June 2008, R. Tsujiet al. 2708 ( HPL!) .

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 55. Syagrus mendanhensis. A. Habit near Mendanha, Minas Gerais (Tsuji et al. 2708). B. Clustering habit. C. Inflorescence frontal view (Noblick 4844). D. Inflorescence side view. E. Developing infructescence. F. Base of plants with developing infructescence. G. Close of infructescence showing straight rachillae. H. Mature fruits.