Chamaedorea microspadix

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Chamaedorea
(kahm-eh-doh-REH-ah)
microspadix (my-kroh-SPAH-diks)
Chamaedorea microspadixdaz.jpg
Daytona Beach, Florida.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Chamaedorea
(kahm-eh-doh-REH-ah)
Species:
microspadix (my-kroh-SPAH-diks)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
America
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Morphology
Habit: Cespitose & clustering.
Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Bamboo Palm

Habitat and Distribution

Chamaedorea microspadix is found in Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast. MEXICO.
Chammic0008.jpg
Hidalgo. San Luis Potosi. Moist forest at middle elevations; usually on limestone.

Description

Stems: Clustering, but widely-spaced stems, to 3 m tall and about 1 cm in diameter. Leaves: Pinnate, reduplicate, with slightly drooping, sigmoid leaflets spreading in a single plane and evenly spaced along the rachis, but with broader apical leaflets. Upper and lower leaflet surfaces are green, without spines or obvious tomentum. Flowers and fruits: Pendulous, about 30-60 cm long, branched to one order with 3-6 branches. Creamy white male and female flowers are borne on different plants. The spherical fruits, 1 cm in diameter, are orange-red when ripe. There is also variety with very attractive silver undersides to the leaves. Editing by edric.

Field: Clustering, but widely-spaced palms, to 3 m tall with red fruit. Apical leaflets broader than others.

Lab: Prominent midrib and multiple secondary veins prominent on undersurface of leaflets.

Chamaedorea seifrizii, but C. microspadix has a greater distance between stems in a clump and produces red fruit, while those of C. seifrizii are black when ripe.

Habit: Cespitose (growing in tufts or clumps), clustering, erect to leaning, to 3 m tall, forming dense clumps several meters wide. Stems: 1 cm in diam., green, ringed, internodes 5-15 cm long. Leaves: pinnate, spreading; sheath 20-30 cm long, tubular, oblique apically and there light green or whitish, green below but browning and persistent on stem with age, densely and longitudinally striate-nerved; petiole 15-25 cm long, strong, flat or only slightly grooved and green above, rounded, slightly paler green below especially near base; rachis 50 cm long, obscurely angled and green above, rounded and green below; blade oblong; pinnae 9 on each side of rachis or fewer when terminal pair is broader, to 25 x 4-5 cm, regularly arranged, alternate, lanceolate, sigmoid or falcate, velvety green above and glaucous or green below; upper pair often confluent and 2-3 times broader than others, 3 primary nerves, several secondaries and tertiaries visible above and below. Inflorescences: infrafoliar, sometimes breaking through the old persistent sheaths, to 25 cm long; peduncles 10 cm long, 8 mm wide at base, 5 mm wide at apex,

Culture

Sunny, moist, but well drained position. Very easy to grow. Among the most cold tolerant Chamaedorea palms; cultivated in Hawaii and Florida. Cold hardy to about 5 degrees Celsius, or even lower.

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Comments and Curiosities

Chamaedorea are dioecious, male, and female flowers, on separate plants.

Etymology: From the Greek micro meaning little or small and the Latin spadix meaning flower stalk (inflorescence), in reference to the small inflorescences.



External Links

References

Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.

Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos.

Special thanks to Palmweb.org, Dr. John Dransfield, Dr. Bill Baker & team, for their volumes of information and photos.

Glossary of Palm Terms; Based on the glossary in Dransfield, J., N.W. Uhl, C.B. Asmussen-Lange, W.J. Baker, M.M. Harley & C.E. Lewis. 2008. Genera Palmarum - Evolution and Classification of the Palms. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. All images copyright of the artists and photographers (see images for credits).

Hodel, D.R.1992. Chamaedorea Palms, The Species and Their Cultivation. The International Palm Society.


Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.

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