Palms   Syagrus campylospatha

Synonymy: None Common Names: yatay-mi or yatay. Habitat: Grow in open areas of grassy zones of central Paraguay, in rocky and sandy soils, in full sun. Description: A very small palm, look like those smaller Butias-Syagrus , of subterranean and clustered stem. Leaves are light grey/blue. Fruits are edible and delicious, like orange. Leaves are utilised by local people. General: This is one of the Gulliver`s country (Lilliput) palms. Paraguay, where most of the palms are without visible trunk, e.g. Acrocomias, Attaleas, Butias, Syagrus , all with subterranean stem, a likely adaptation to fire and organically poor soils.

Figure 1. S. campylospatha

Culture:
Unknown in cultivation, probably have good tolerance to freezes and would build a small trunk and longer leaves if good conditions of growth and semi-shade. Is one of the southermost Syagrus after S. romanzoffiana . The species is endangered. Reproduction is by seeds or bulbs.

Figure 2. S. campylospatha in habitat, Paraguay

Figure 3. Typical habitat of S. campylospatha .

Contributed by:

Gaston Torres Vera, Cordoba, Argentina (Images copyright Argentina Palms)

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