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Palm Articles
Spiny Palms II |
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The spiny palms of the Bactris alliance include the genera of
Acrocomia : A genus of 26 species which is widely distributed from cen tral Mexico to northern Argentina, Paraguay and throughout the islands of the West Indies. They are tall, solitary palms with plumosely arranged leaflets, viciously spined on all parts, even the fruits of some species (A. emensis and A. hasleri , both formally Acanthococos ).
Aiphanes : A genus of 38 species restricted to the islands of the West Indies and rainforests of northern South America. They are solitary palms with broad leaflets, spined on all parts except the fruits.
Astrocaryum : A genus of about 47 species distributed from Mexico through central America to eastern Brazil and the West Indies. They are clumping and solitary, with par ticularly vicious spines on all parts, even the fruits of some species (A. mexicanum ).
Bactris : A genus of around 240 species distributed from Mexico through cen tral America to Surinane and in par ticular the islands of the West Indies. They are mainly clumping palms with spines on all parts except the fruits.
Gastrococos crispa: A monotypic genus restricted to Cuba. It has a swollen trunk with spines on all parts except the fruits.
Desmoncis : A large genus of 40 species confined to central and south America. They are climbing palms with spines on all parts except seeds.
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The spiny palms of the Arecoid
alliance include
Acanthophoenix : A genus of two species, A. rubra being restricted to Mauritius and A. crinita (Note: now regarded as a synonym of rubra ) to both the Mascarenes and Mauritius. They are elegant, tall solitary palms with spines only on the leafbases, petioles, leaflets and flowering parts. Deckenia nobills: A monotypic genus from the Seychelles. It is a very tall palm to 35 metres with spines on all parts except the seeds. Nephrosperma vanhoutteanum: A monotypic genus from the Seychelles. It is a tall palm with spines only on the leafbase, and petioles.
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| Trunks of Oncosperma sp. |
Phoenicophorum borsigianum : A monotypic genus from the Seychelles. It grows to 40 feet with entire leaves which become divided by the action of the wind. It has fine spines on the trunk, crownshaft, leaf bases and petioles.
Roscheria melanochaetes: A monotypic genus closely allied to Verschaffeltia from the Seychelles. It is a small aerial-rooted palm with unevenly divided leaves, having spines only on the trunk.
Tectiphiala ferox : A small palm from Mauritius, which must have the most specific habitat of any palm. It is found growing on a plateau with a clay based swamp, a very high annual rainfall (5000mm), growing in full sun. There are reported to be only 28 individuals growing in its known locality. It has bristly spines on all parts except the seeds. It is unknown in cultivation.
Verschaffeltia splendida : A monotypic genus from the Seychelles. It is a tall, stilt-rooted palm with entire leaves which occasionally split. It has spines on the trunk crownshaft and petioles.
Oncosperma : A genus of five species, four of which are confined to south east Asia and one (O. fasciculatum ) to Sri Lanka. They are tall, drooping leaved palms, densely spined on all parts except the seeds. Except for O. horridum , they are clumping palms.
The palms of the Lepidocaryoid alliance include
Salacca : A genus of about 14 species confined to the Malay Archipelago. They are trunkless clumping palms with vicious spines on the petioles and smaller spines on the leaflets. Fruits have bristly scales.
Eugeissona : A genus of seven species confined to the Malay Archipelago. They are trunkless clumping palms with spines on all parts except the seeds.
The Rattans: A group of 8 genera which includes Calamus (375 species), Korthalsia (26 species), Daemonorops (115 species), Cornera (three species), Myrialepis (one species), Plectocomia (12 species), Plectocomiopsis (six species) and Schizospathe (one species).
They are mostly climbing palms but a few species (Calamus and Daemonorops ) develop only to the rosette stage. Most of the genera are cultivated as either pot or garden plants by enthusiasts in south-east Queensland.
| References: | "Palms of the World" - McCurrach |
| "Palms in Australia" - Jones | |
| "Natural History of Palms" - Corner | |
| Principes. |
Contributed by: John Dowe (from PALMS & CYCADS No. 12 July-Sept 1986).
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