Syagrus × mirandana Noblick (2012: 58)

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

73. Syagrus × mirandana Noblick (2012: 58) . ( S. microphylla × S. coronata ). Type:— BRAZIL. Bahia: Municipio de Sento Sé, Serra do Alegre 3 km S of Campo Largo in the Serra do Pau d'Arco, –10.41, –41.40, 7 October 1988, L.R. Noblick & J. L. dos S. Lima 4613 (holotype CEPEC!, isotypes F!, HTSA!, BAH!, NY!, MO!, US!)

Figure 90 map.

Small, solitary or appearing clustered, unarmed, palms. Stem subterranean. Leaves 5–12 in crown, spirally arranged, spreading, leaves strongly recurved; sheathing leaf base not measured, pseudopetiole not measured with fibrous margins; petiole 6–28 cm long; rachis 56–95 cm long; leaflets waxy green on upper surface, whitish on the lower, 28–38 along one side, irregularly distributed in clusters of 2 or 3 in divergent planes; basal leaflets not measured, middle leaflets 14–34 × 1.4–2.7 cm, apical leaflets not measured with mostly asymmetric tips. Inflorescence erect, spirally branched; prophyll 18–20 × 2 cm; peduncular bract ca. 89–146 cm long, expanded portion 30–41 × 3.5–4 cm, bearing a 1.5–3 cm beak, woody, finely sulcate, light grayish green; peduncle ca. 55– 118 × 8 cm; inflorescence axis ca. 33–60 cm long; rachis 25–42 cm long; rachillae 8–18, 13–26 cm long, each rachilla, especially lower ones, subtended by a bract 2–3 × 3 mm; staminate flowers 5–7 × 3–3.5 mm, cream, sepals 1 mm long, petals 6–7 × 2.5–3 mm with acute tips, indistinct, stamens 4.5–6 mm long, anthers 3–4 mm long, filaments 1–2 mm long, pistillode 1–1.5 mm; pistillate flowers pyramidal, 6–7 × 4–5 mm, grayish brown, sepals (5–)6–7 × 4–5 mm, petals (4–)5–6 × 2–3 mm, pistil 3 × 2 mm (aborted?), stigmas not measured, staminodal ring ca. 1 mm high. Fruit not seen; seeds not seen.

Common name:— None recorded.

Etymology:— The specific epithet, mirandana , honors Dr. E. E. Miranda, formerly of CPATSA (Centro de Pesquisa Agropecuário Tropico Semiárido, EMBRAPA), Petrolina, Pernambuco, who first drew attention to this palm from Sento Se, Bahia, Brazil.

Distribution and habitat:— This hybrid has only been seen in the Serra do Alegre, Sento Sé, Bahia. However, it could potentially be found wherever the ranges of S. coronata and S. microphylla overlap. This hybrid grows above 1000 m in an area of disjunct cerrado vegetation (gerais or campo limpo) which has no other tree species other than the occasional S. coronata . The soil is very poor, fine grain whitish sand to gravel.

Phenology:— Collected in flower in October.

Uses:— None recorded.

Notes:— This infrequent palm hybrid is intermediate between the only other two Syagrus species in the area, S. coronata and S. microphylla . It is easily distinguished from S. coronata by its smaller, acaulescent habit of growth, the smaller inflorescence, and smaller leaves. One can separate it from S. microphylla because of its larger size, strongly recurved leaf blades and rachis, a larger inflorescence that extends far above the height of the foliage, and many more rachillae. The height of the inflorescence above the rest of the plant is an especially good field character for locating this palm because S. microphylla inflorescences rarely extend much above the height of its own foliage ( Noblick 2012).

Specimen examined:— BRAZIL. Bahia: Remanso [Sento Se?], without date, Miranda s.n. (HTSA!); Sento Sé, Serra do Alegre, 9 km S of Minas do Mimosa in the Serra das Almas, 1010 m, –10.33, –41.40, 7 October 1988, L.R. Noblick & L. L. dos S. Lima 4610 (FTG!, HTSA!).

Figures

FIGURE 90. Distribution map of Syagrus hybrids. S. × altopalacioensis, S. × andrequiceana, S. × campos-portoana, S. × cipoensis, S. comosa × elata, S. × costae, S. × lacerdamourae, S. × matafome, S. × mirandana, S. × serroana, S. × teixeiriana, and S. × tostana.