Syagrus comosa × elata

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

77. Syagrus comosa × elata

Type:— BOLIVIA. Santa Cruz: Velasco, Parque Nacional Noel Kempff M., Campamento Los Gamas , –14.80, –60.18, 850 m, 11 June 1994, L. Moreno, O. Moreno, H. Justiniano & R. Vásquez 140 ( UBSC, NY) .

Figure 90 map.

Small, solitary palm. Stem columnar, ca. 1.0– 1.5 m × 8–12 cm with prominently raised leaf scars or rings. Leaves 5–7; sheathing leaf base triangular ca. 30 cm long, width not measured, covered with a gray deciduous tomentum; pseudopetiole not measured, petiole nearly absent, glabrous; rachis ca. 80 cm long; leaflets narrowly linear, slightly lighter on the abaxial surface, 50–60 along one side, in clusters of 2 or 3, inserted at various angles, but in nearly one plane near the apex and base; basal leaflets not measured, middle leaflets 30–32 × 1.8 cm, apical leaflets 12–28 × 0.5–0.8 cm, ending with one filiform leaflet. Inflorescence erect to pendulous, spirally branched; prophyll 20 cm long, fibrous; peduncular bract 55 cm long, expanded portion 25–30 × 7–8 cm, beak not measured, narrow, woody, sulcate; peduncle ca. 35–40 × 1 cm, elliptical in cross-section; inflorescence axis ca. 29–33 cm long; rachis 5–8 cm long; rachillae 5–6, 24–25 cm long, glabrous; staminate flowers oval-shaped, 1.2 × 0.6 mm, yellow, sepals 3 mm long, glabrous, no visible nerves, petals 1.2 × 0.6 mm, lanceolate, oval, acuminate, with acute tips, nerves indistinct, stamens 5 mm long, basally connate, anthers not measured, filaments not measured, pistillode not measured, very small; basal pistillate flowers ovoid, 10 mm long, yellow, sepals 10 × 8 mm, glabrous, no visible venation, petals 8 × 5 mm, glabrous, pistil 5 mm long, glabrous, stigmas not measured, glabrous, staminodal ring not measured. Fruit not seen; seed not seen.

Common name:— None recorded.

Etymology:— Not applicable.

Distribution and habitat:— Endemic to Bolivia in cerrado and campo rupestre. This hybrid has only seen on the plateau of Caparú in the fields near the Campamento Las Gamas in the Parque Nacional de Noel Kempff Mercado.

Phenology:— Unknown.

Uses:— None recorded.

Notes:— This is the natural hybrid between S. comosa and S. elata . It is similar to S. elata in having linear, narrow leaflets, with clustered leaflets in various planes, while S. comosa has wider, more coriaceous leaflets that are displayed in two planes ( Moreno & Moreno 2006, 2013). The hybrid has a shorter inflorescence that soon becomes pendulous in fruit. It has 6 or more rachillae like S. comosa that is unlike S. elata , which has only one or two.

Specimen examined:— Known only from the original collection.

OTHER SUSPECTED NATURAL HYBRIDS

There are at least two other natural occurring hybrids. Unfortunately, complete collections have not been made or the collections are not available to the author to enable him to make a thorough description at this time.

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NOBLICK

78. Syagrus pleioclada × S. glaucescens

This is a natural cross between S. pleioclada and S. glaucescens . The hybrid is a bit taller than normal S. pleioclada , but much shorter than S. glaucescens , attaining a height of about 1–1.5 m. The leaves were somewhat deflexed but not as deflexed as S. pleioclada and with a much larger inflorescence than normal S. pleioclada . This is not a surprising cross since the hybrid between S. pleioclada and S. duartei ( Syagrus × altopalacioensis ) has already been discussed, and both S. glaucescens and S. duartei are thought to be closely related. In fact, some advocate that they are the same, but the author still believes that they should be keep distinct for reasons already mentioned under those two species.

Representative specimen:— BRAZIL, Minas Gerais: Diamantina, nas margens da rodovia no km 597, lado esquerdo, sentido Serro , 1383 m, –18.26, –43.68, 21 June 2008, R. Tsuji et al. 2711 ( HPL!) .

79. Syagrus loefgrenii × S. romanzoffiana

A hybrid between S. loefgrenii and S. romanzoffiana was pointed out to the author located just south of Piracicaba in the vicinity of Boituva, São Paulo. However , to the author’s knowledge collections have not yet been made of the specimen. The small palm has a solitary above ground stem that is well developed ca. 1.5–2 m × 10–15 cm and its overall height is ca. 3– 4 m. There is only one specimen occurring in the area where both parents are present.

Representative specimen:— No specimens as of this writing.

Hybrids that occur in cultivation

There are Syagrus hybrids that occur in cultivation that would never occur naturally because their distributions do not overlap in nature. For example, the author discovered Syagrus × montgomeryana Noblick ex Hodel (2011: 142) , the cross between S. schizophylla and S. romanzoffiana , among the living collections at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden (Noblick 1992). The hybrid was officially named by Hodel (2011):

Syagrus × montgomeryana Noblick ex Hodel. ( S. schizophylla × S. romanzoffiana )

Lectotype (designated here):— UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Florida : Miami, Fairchild Tropical Garden, plot 19B, accession number 73351*A. 17 October 1991, L.R. Noblick 4830 (lectotype FTG!, isolectotypes AAU!, BH!, F!, MO!, NY!, US!).

Syagrus × dickensonii (Hodel) Noblick comb. nov. ( S. weddelliana × S. romanzoffiana )

× Lytoagrus dickensonii Hodel (2005: 123) Type :— UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. California, Orange County, Fullerton, cultivated garden of William W. Dickenson, no date, D.R. Hodel 1970 (holotype K, isotype BH) .

Syagrus hybrids have been created artificially by ardent collectors and nurserymen who wish to expand the landscape potential of this genus ( Hodel, 2005, 2011). For example, Hodel (2005) described the hybrid of Syagrus weddelliana × S. romanzoffiana as a new nothogenus and nothospecies. However, since Lytocaryum has now been transferred to the genus Syagrus ( Noblick & Meerow 2015) , the new correct combination for this hybrid is Syagrus × dickensonii (Hodel) Noblick.

Other unnamed hybrids have been successfully created by palm collectors and nurserymen ( Hodel, 2011), most of which would never have occurred naturally. See Table 2 for the complete list of natural and artificial or garden hybrids. It is not surprising that the majority of these hybrids have been made with S. coronata and S. romanzoffiana , which are also the two most common parent Syagrus species of natural hybrids in Brazil (e.g. Syagrus × campos-portoana , S. × matafome , S. × teixeiriana , S. × tostana , S. × mirandana ). A few of these hybrids are the following:

Syagrus coronata × S. picrophylla

Syagrus picrophylla × S. romanzoffiana

Syagrus romanzoffiana × S. yungasensis

A REVISION OF THE GENUS SYAGRUS

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Intergeneric hybrids

× Butiagrus nabonnandii (Prosch.) Vorster (1990: 662) . × Butiarecastrum nabonnandii Proschowsky (1921: 290) . Syagrus × nabonnandii (Prosch.) Demoly (1989: 30) . No specimens cited. Neotype (designated here):— UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Florida: Miami, cultivated Fairchild Tropical Garden, plot 99C, accession number 58912, 28 June 1991, L.R. Noblick 4811 (FTG!)

Syagrus × fairchildensis Glassman (1971c: 82) . Type :— UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Florida: Miami, cultivated, plot 111, no. FG-60-754A, 25 March 1920, S.F. Glassman 8764 (holotype F! [formerly CHI]).

Butia odorata × Syagrus romanzoffiana = × Butiagrus nabonnandii (Prosch.) Vorster (1990: 662) is an intergeneric hybrid that has been successfully crossed by nurserymen, but the author has also seen this hybrid naturally occurring in Uruguay and it probably occurs in Brazil as well. This palm hybrid was originally named × Butiarecastrum nabonnandii Proschowsky when S. romanzoffiana was still in the genus Arecastrum . It is also known under the following Syagrus names: Syagrus × fairchildensis Glassman (1971c: 82) and Syagrus × nabonnandii (Prosch.) Demoly.

Representative specimens: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Florida: Miami, cultivated, plot 111, no. FG-60- 754B, 25 March 1920, S.F. Glassman 8765 (paratype F! [formerly CHI]); Miami, Florida, Fairchild Tropical Garden FTG accession number 58-912*C, plot 99C, source of seed from FTG plant RM-353*B in plot 110, now dead, RM-353 originally received from Hoffman as Jubaea chilensis , 31 January 1986, Roger Sanders 1760 (FTG!).

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.