Syagrus elata (L.R. Moreno & O.I. Moreno) Noblick

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

17. Syagrus elata (L.R. Moreno & O.I. Moreno) Noblick , comb. & stat. nov. Syagrus petraea var. elata L.R. Moreno & O.I. Moreno (2009: 204) . Type:— BOLIVIA. Santa Cruz: PNNK [Parque Nacional “Noel Kempff Mercado”], Los Fierros en Pampa de Huanchaca , 300 m, –14.56, –60.93, 6 April 1990, L.R. Moreno & O. Moreno 29 (holotype JBSC, isotypes LPB, NY!, USZ)

Figure 24 plate, Figure 20 map.

Small to moderate, solitary palm. Stem ca. 0.5–5 m × 8–12 cm, thicker at the base of the stem where the roots are exposed, internodes ca. 4–5 cm long. Leaves 6–14; sheathing leaf base ca. 20 × ca. 10 cm at the very base; pseudopetiole not measured, petiole 15 × 1.5 cm, thickness not measured, glabrous; rachis ca. 1 m long; leaflets linear acuminate, slightly lighter on the abaxial surface, 40–75 along one side, in clusters of 2–4, inserted at various angles, giving the leaf a plumose appearance, no ramenta scales or tomentum present where the leaflets are inserted on the rachis, and none along the abaxial midvein; basal leaflets not measured, middle leaflets ca. 40 × ca. 1.5 cm, apical leaflets not measured with an asymmetric tip. Inflorescence frequently spicate or bifid, prophyll 8–12 × ca. 4 cm; peduncular bract 60–80 cm long, expanded portion ca. 20 × ca. 4 cm, including a short conical beak, 2–3 mm thickness, narrow, woody, sulcate, exterior with scattered thin indument or tomentum; peduncle ca. 50 cm × 6 mm, elliptical in cross-section, glabrous; inflorescence axis 15–18 cm long; rachis normally absent; rachillae 1 or 2(–4), glabrous, 15–18 cm long; staminate flowers pyramidal, ca. 20 × 6 mm, green to yellow, small triangular sepals not

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Phytotaxa 294 (1) © 2017 Magnolia Press • 71 measured, glabrous, with raised nerves, rhomboidal petals not measured, separate with acute tips, nerves indistinct to slightly raised, stamens not measured, anthers 9 mm long, filaments not measured, pistillode not measured; basal pistillate flowers pyramidal, ca. 20 × 10 mm, yellow, sessile, glabrous, sepals ca. 18 mm long, petals ca. 17 × 10 mm, light yellow-green, glabrous, hard, thick, triangular, with long acuminate tips, pistil globose, glabrous, 5 mm in diameter, stigmas not measured, glabrous, staminodal ring ca. 2 mm high, undulate or slightly 6-dentate. Fruit ovoid, ca. 3.7 × 2.3 cm, light brown to yellow orange when mature, glabrous, with fine longitudinal striations or grooves, a swollen base, rounded apex, epicarp thin, fibrous, less than 0.5 mm thick, longitudinally striate, mesocarp thickness not measured, succulent and fibrous; endocarp oval, ca. 3.3 × 1.9 cm, 2 mm thick, light brown, with three small ridges from the apex to the base, 3 visible pores on the basal end, often hidden by many adherent fibers, apex trilobed; seed ovoid ca. 1.7 × 1.5 mm with a central cavity, endosperm homogeneous. Germination remote-tubular.

Common name:— None recorded.

Etymology:— The specific epithet, elata , means tall, which is a misnomer, since the palm is not tall at all (to 5 m). It is tall in relation to the acaulescent S. petraea to which it was originally thought to be related.

Distribution and habitat:— This species is found mainly within the Bolivian Parque Nacional Noel Kempff Mercado. Localities within the park include: near Velasco-Santa Cruz in the campground of Flor de Oro; in the tall grass prairies of Los Fierros; near Bella Vista lake, at about 200 m above sea-level; on the little plateau of Caparuch in the campground of Las Gramas, at 800–850 m above sea level, where there were some specimens that appeared to be natural hybrids with S. comosa ( Moreno & Moreno, 2006) . It may be distributed across the border into Brazil, but there are no collections as of yet. There is also a collection from Beni. It grows in colonies in cerrados and campo rupestres, in well drained soils that are more or less dry. In seasonally flooded areas of open plains or pastures, it grows on ant or termite hills and is thus above the flood zone.

Conservation:— The greater part of this species’ range is protected within the Parque Nacional Noel Kempff Mercado.” Syagrus elata is apparently not rare within the national park, as it has been collected numerous times and by various collectors. Therefore, it is classified as least concern, LC.

Phenology:— Flowering in cultivation in March in Bolivia.

Uses:— An attractive small to medium palm that would be ideal for landscaping.

Notes:— This small solitary, columnar palm is easily identified by its long inflorescences, which are nearly equal to the length of the leaves. It has a long-peduncled, spicate inflorescence (sometimes bifid), which is unusual in a Syagrus with an above ground stem. Its fruits have a grooved or striate epicarp. Grooved epicarps are rare in Syagrus . The only other species with a grooved epicarp is S. stratincola from the Guyanas. The authors of this taxon were reluctant to elevate the status of their variety to species because they found the flowers to be similar in size on both S. petraea and S. elata (L. Moreno pers. comm.). However, Syagrus elata does have larger flowers and larger fruits than S. petraea ; their own measurements contradict their argument ( Moreno & Moreno 2006). Syagrus elata has larger staminate flowers (20 × 10 mm vs. 12–14 × 4 mm), larger pistillate flowers (20 × 10 mm vs. 15 × 6 mm), larger anthers (9 vs. 5 mm), larger pistils (5 vs. 2.5 mm diameter), larger staminodes (2 vs. 1 mm) and larger fruits (3.7 × 2.3 vs. 2 × 1.6 cm). This variety is elevated to species rank based on its columnar stem, larger flowers, larger, grooved to striate fruits, larger inflorescence, larger flowers and different leaflet anatomy. It is unfortunate that the epithet, elata , means tall, as this is not a tall palm when compared to other species in the genus.

Representative specimens:— BOLIVIA, Beni: Iténez, Cerro San Simón , 200 m, –14.42, –62.05, 16 July 1993, A. Jardim et al. 907 ( USZ) ; Santa Cruz: Velasco, Bajo Paraguá, Meseta Caparú , 450 m, 4 November 1995, G. Coimbra 4305 ( JBSC) ; Velasco, R. Gillén & T. Centurión 1035 ( USZ) ; Velasco, Parque Nacional Noel Kempff Mercado Las Gamas, 850 m, –14.80, –60.39, 17 February 1997, C. Guardia, et al. 192 ( MO, USZ) ; Velasco, Parque Nacional Noel Kempff Mercado , 180 m, –14.56, –60.76, 26 August 1995, P. Solíz Gullén & J. Surubi 4152 ( NY, USZ) ; Velasco, Parque Nacional Noel Kempff Mercado, Campamento Las Gamas , 900 m, –14.82, –60.38, 28 March 1993, T.J. Killeen 4861 ( MO, USZ) ; Velasco, Parque Nacional Noel Kempff Mercado, Huanchaca , Las Gamas , 850 m, –14.80, –60.38, 14 April 1993, T.J. Killeen et al. 5242 ( NY, USZ) ; Velasco, T.J. Killeen et al. 6015, 6495 ( USZ) ; Velasco, Parque Nacional Noel Kempff Mercado , 210 m, –13.55, –61.01, 15 November 1993, T.J. Killeen et al. 6075 ( MO, USZ) ; Velasco, Estancia Flor de Oro, Río Iténez , 160 m, –13.53, –60.83, 18 November 1993, T.J. Killeen 6145 ( LPB, NY, USZ) ; Velasco, L.R. Moreno & O. Moreno 33 ( JBSC) ; Velasco, Parque Nat. Noel Kempff M., Campamento Flor de Oro , Rio Iténez , 210 m, –13.55, –61.00, 6 June 1993, L.R. Moreno & H. Justiniano 133 ( JBSC) ; Velasco, Cantón: Florida ; Loc. : Campamento Las Gamas , 850 m, –14.80, –60.37, 13 June

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1994, L.R. Moreno et al. 142 (JBSC, NY); Velasco, Parque National Noel Kempff M. Serrania N y NE de la pista Noel Kempff M., 400 m, –13.90, –60.81, 12 May 1994, B. Mostacedo et al. 1813 ( MO, NY!, USZ) ; Velasco , cerca a la pista de aterrizaje, 360 m, –13.90, –60.80, 8 June 1994, B. Mostacedo et al. 2120 ( LPB, NY, USZ) ; Velasco, Estancia Flor de Oro, W side of the Rio Guapore (= Rio Iténez ), 190 m, –13.55, –61.02, 21 June 1991, M.H. Nee 41168 ( LPB, NY) ; Velasco, without date, M. Peña-Chocarro 100 ( USZ) ; Velasco, without date, M. Peña et al. 138 ( USZ) ; L. Quevedo et al. 907, 2180 (USZ); Velasco, Parque Noel Kempff M., Campamento La Torre , 200 m, – 13.65, –61.82, 15 June 1994, L. Quevedo et al. 2583 ( NY, USZ) ; Velasco, Parque Nacional Noel Kempff Mercado , camino a la meseta, 260 m, 7 November 1995, A. Rodriguez Olmos & P.F. Foster 751 ( MO, USZ) ; Velasco, W.W. Thomas et al. 5700 ( USZ) ; Velasco Province, Parque National Noel Kempff Mercado, Meseta de Huanchaca , cima de las colina de Huanchaca, 15 km al W de la Estación Los Fierros, 650–700 m, –14.56, –60.76, 29 September 1995, I.G. Vargas et al. 3961 ( LPB, NY!, USZ) .

Figures

FIGURE 20. Distribution maps of Syagrus coronata, S. deflexa, S. duartei, S. elata, S. emasensis and S. evansiana.

FIGURE 24. Syagrus elata. A. Habit with Luiz and Oscar Moreno for scale. B. Leaf bases and sheath fibers near the crown. C. Abaxial side of leaflets. D. Inflorescence with pistillate flowers E. Infructescence. F. Close of large immature fruits showing grooved epicarps.