Syagrus angustifolia Noblick & Lorenzi (2010b: 25)

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

3. Syagrus angustifolia Noblick & Lorenzi (2010b: 25) . Type:— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: João Pinheiro, collected on the road towards Brasilândia de Minas (km 167), 41 km from João Pinherio, 820 m, –17.35, –46.07, 4 March 2009. H. Lorenzi, R. Pimenta & R. Campos 6636 (holotype HPL!, isotypes FTG!, K!, NY!, RB!, SP!)

Figure 6 plate, Figure 4 map.

Small, solitary or clustering palm less than 50 cm tall. Stem very short or subterranean, appearing acaulescent. Leaves 3–8; sheathing leaf base 6–15 cm long; pseudopetiole 7–20 cm long with smooth fibrous margins; petiole ca. 4.5–14 × 0.5–0.8 cm, 0.3–0.4 cm thick; rachis 29–57 cm long, abaxial surface of the pseudopetiole, rachis, and margins of some of the lower leaflets covered with a whitish indument; leaflets 16–25 along each side of the rachis, distributed regularly in pairs near the base, inserted in different planes, lanceolate, medium green, glabrous on both sides, except for the tomentum on the lower leaflet margins, with acuminate, asymmetrical apex, no ramenta scales or tomentum present where the leaflets are inserted on the rachis, and none along the abaxial midvein; basal leaflets ca. 10–18 × 0.1–0.2 cm, middle leaflets 18–24 × 0.8–1.0 cm, apical leaflets 10–19 × 0.2–0.4 cm. Inflorescence spicate or unilaterally branched; prophyll 7–43 × 1.0– 2.5 cm; peduncular bract 17–40 cm long, the expanded part 11–27 × 1.7–2.6 cm, including a 0–1 cm beak, 2.8–6 cm perimeter, less than 1 mm thickness, woody, sulcate, covered with a white to grayish white indument on its exterior; peduncle 5–19 × 0.4–0.5 cm, glabrous to covered with a thin white indument; inflorescence axis 7–18 cm long; rachis absent or 2–10 cm long; rachillae (1–)2–8, 3.5–12 cm long; staminate flowers 4.5–6.0 mm long at the apex, 6.0–11.5 × 4 mm at the base, sepals 1.0–2.5 × 1.0– 1.3 mm, glabrous, petals 10–11 × 2.0– 2.5 mm with acute tips, petals normally 3, but may have as many as 4 petals on the basal staminate flowers, nerves indistinct to slightly raised, stamens 3–4 mm long, anthers 2.5–3.0 mm long, filaments 1.5–2 mm long; pistillate flowers elongate pyramidal, 11 × 5–6 mm at the apex, 14–15 × 7 mm at the base, glabrous, sepals 8.5–9.0 × 4–5 mm, petals 9–10 × 2.5–3.0 mm, glabrous, pistil 8 × 4 mm, glabrous, stigmas 2 mm long, glabrous, staminodal ring ca. 1.0– 1.5 mm high, 6-dentate. Fruit ellipsoid, 2.8–3.5 × 1.5–1.7 cm, reddish brown with an epicarp less than 1 mm thick, mesocarp thickness not measured, sweet pulpy; endocarp 2.2–2.9 × 0.8–1.1 cm, 0.8–1.5 mm thick, hard; seed 8–9 mm in diameter with no internal cavity, endosperm homogeneous. Germination remote-tubular.

Common name:— coco-de-vassoura.

Etymology:— The specific epithet, angustifolia , means narrow leaf and is one of the characters that one notices about this species and its narrow leaflets.

Distribution and habitat:— Endemic to the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, with populations located between João Pinheiro and Brasilândia, in open or sparsely vegetated cerrado, generally in fine grained, powdery sand, at high elevation (ca. 800 m).

Conservation:— This species is not known to have a large distribution in an area between João Pinheiro and Brasilândia, Minas Gerais. The area in which it grows is very rocky and hilly and is not appropriate for soybeans or other crops. These areas are often used for pasture; however, there is no immediate threat to this species. Nonetheless, because of its restricted distribution and populations discovered to date, it is classified as endangered EN B1+2ab(ii,iii).

Phenology:— Flowering with immature fruits in June.

Uses:— The tasty and nutritious fruits, which are easily accessible, are eaten by small rodents. The plant has a potential for cultivation in gardens.

Notes:— This is a low-growing, clustering palm with narrow leaflets. It is like S. graminifolia , but with larger, shorter clumps, with unilaterally arranged rachillae. The rachillae are more closely spaced and the pistillate flowers are also more closely spaced (congested) on the rachillae. It also has slightly thicker rachillae that are attached to the rachis at more obtuse angles than those of S. graminifolia . Its fruits are longer (3.0–3.5 vs. 2–2.5 cm) than S. graminifolia and it also has narrower fruits and endocarps.

Representative specimens:— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: João Pinheiro, ca. 50 km N of the city near km 168 on MG-101. Elevation ca. 827 m, –17.36, –46.08, 28 January 2014, L.R. Noblick & H. Lorenzi 5648 ( ESA!, HPL!, FTG!, NY!); João Pinheiro, ca. 65 km N of the city near km 151 on MG-101 (João Pinheiro/Brasilândia) . Elevation ca. 865 m, –17.24, –46.07, 28 January 2014, L.R. Noblick & H. Lorenzi 5649 ( ESA!, FTG!); João Pinheiro, 890 m, –17.20, –46.10, 18 November 1981, O.A. Salgado 243 ( HBR!) .

A REVISION OF THE GENUS SYAGRUS

Phytotaxa 294 (1) © 2017 Magnolia Press • 25 26 • Phytotaxa 294 (1) © 2017 Magnolia Press

NOBLICK

Figures

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

FIGURE 6. Syagrus angustifolia. A. Habit in Minas Gerais with inflorescence. B. Infructescence. C. Flowers. The first four flowers in the top row are staminate, followed by a pistil and a pistillate flower. The second row are all pistils. However, the third one still has the petals attached. D. Endocarps. E. Spicate inflorescence. F. Crown with inflorescences showing leaf shape. G. Older branched inflorescence. All grids are in centimeters.