Geonoma orbignyana
| Geonoma (geo-NO-mah) orbignyana (ohr-big-nee-AHN-ah) | |||||||
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 Grows in the forest. Label information: Ecuador Napo Province Yanayacu forest. Elevation: 2359 m. Coordinates: Forest Yanayacu: 00 ° 35.641S, 077 ° 53.984W. | |||||||
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Contents
Habitat and Distribution
Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panamá, Peru, and Venezuela.
Description
Small palm, 2.0 (0.5-7.0) m tall; stems 1.5 (0.1-4.0) m tall, 1.2 (0.5-2.2) cm in diameter, solitary or clustered, not cane-like or cane-like; internodes 1.0 (0.2-3.8) cm long, yellowish and smooth, or, if short and congested, not scaly. Leaves 10 (4-20) per stem, undivided or irregularly pinnate, sometimes regularly pinnate and the pinnae with 1 main vein only, not plicate or plicate, bases of blades running diagonally into the rachis; sheaths 18.5 (5.0-60.0) cm long; petioles 30.0 (1.5?90.0) cm long, drying green or yellowish; rachis 32.7 (5.0-76.0) cm long 3.5 (1.2-8.2) mm in diameter; veins raised and rectangular in cross-section adaxially; pinnae 5 (1-26) per side of rachis; basal pinna 30.1 (13.0-59.5) cm, long, 3.0 (0.1-15.5) cm wide, forming an angle of 44 (7-95)° with the rachis; apical pinna 20.6 (7.7-47.5) cm long, 7.1 (0.3-21.3) cm wide, forming an angle of 25 (6-43)° with the rachis. Inflorescences unbranched or branched 1-2 orders; prophylls and peduncular bracts not ribbed with elongate, unbranched fibers, flattened (if tubular, narrow, and elongate then not ribbed), deciduous or persistent; prophylls 21.2 (3.4-41.5) cm long, not short and asymmetrically apiculate, the surfaces not ridged, without unequally wide ridges; peduncular bracts 19.5 (3.0-49.0) cm long, well-developed, inserted 9.8 (0.8-39.0) cm above the prophyll; peduncles 30.9 (6.0-88.5) cm long, 3.5 (1.3-11.1) mm in diameter; rachillae 5 (1-28), 15.3 (5.0-31.0) cm long, 3.5 (1.8-6.6) mm in diameter, the surfaces without spiky, fibrous projections or ridges, drying brown or yellow-brown, without short, transverse ridges, not filiform and not narrowed between the flower pits; flower pits usually spirally arranged, sometimes decussately or tricussately, then the groups not closely spaced nor consistently arranged throughout the rachillae, glabrous internally; proximal lips apiculate and lobed before anthesis, tearing in the center after anthesis, not recurved after anthesis, not hood-shaped; proximal and distal lips drying the same color as the rachillae, not joined to form a raised cupule, the proximal lip margins overlapping the distal lip margins; distal lips well-developed; staminate and pistillate petals not emergent, not valvate throughout; staminate flowers deciduous after anthesis; stamens 6; thecae diverging at anthesis, inserted almost directly onto the filament apices, the connectives bifid but scarcely developed; anthers short and curled over at anthesis; non-fertilized pistillate flowers persistent after anthesis; staminodial tubes crenulate or shallowly lobed at the apex, those of non-fertilized pistillate flowers not projecting and persistent after anthesis; fruits 9.0 (6.0?16.5) mm long, 6.8 (5.1-12.9) mm in diameter, the bases with a prominent, asymmetric stipe, the apices not conical, the surfaces not splitting at maturity, without fibers emerging, bumpy from the numerous, subepidermal, tangential, short fibers present, these coming to a point at fruit apices; locular epidermis without operculum, smooth, without pores. (Henderson, A.J. (2011) A revision of Geonoma. Phytotaxa 17: 1-271.)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.
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Taxonomic notes: - Geonoma orbignyana is a member of a group of high elevation, Andean species, the G. undata clade, which also includes G. lehmannii, G. talamancana, G. trigona, and G. undata. These species have been treated differently by both Wessels Boer (1968) and Henderson et al. (1995). They are closely related and three of them - G. lehmannii, G. orbignyana, and G. undata are difficult to distinguish from one another, and extremely complex internally. Geonoma orbignyana differs from G. lehmannii and G. talamancana in its prophylls and peduncular bracts which are flattened and not ribbed with elongate, unbranched fibers; from G. talamancana in its well-developed peduncular bract; from G. trigona in its well-developed distal lips; and from G. undata in its prophyll surfaces which are not ridged and without unequally wide ridges. Geonoma jussieuana is treated here as a synonym of G. orbignyana subsp. orbignyana (contra both Wessels Boer, 1968 and Henderson et al., 1995). The type specimen, with its unbranched inflorescence, comes from a Bolivian population of plants with both unbranched and branched inflorescences (sometimes on the same specimen). In bract structure specimens of this population resemble others of G. orbignyana. Geonoma lehmannii subsp. lehmannii, superficially similar to this population in its unbranched inflorescences, does not reach Bolivia and has its southernmost population in central Peru. (Henderson, A.J. (2011) A revision of Geonoma. Phytotaxa 17: 1-271.)/Palmweb. Subspecific variation: - Five traits vary within this species (stem branching, stem type, leaf division, leaf plication, inflorescence branching). Excluding stem branching and leaf division and one trait for which there are few data (stem type), the state distributions of the remaining two traits (leaf plication, inflorescence branching) do not divide the specimens into consistent subgroups which are geographically separated. Both leaf plication and inflorescence branching appear inconsistent. Leaf plication is difficult to score in this species, and branched and unbranched inflorescences can be found on the same specimen. There is, however, geographic disjunction and there is a gap in eastern Panama between Central American and South American specimens. Central American specimens differ from South American ones in 12 variables (rachis width, number of pinnae, basal pinna length, basal pinna width, basal pinna angle, apical pinna length, apical pinna width, apical pinna angle, peduncular bract length, interbract distance, peduncle length, number of rachillae)(t-test, P <0.05). Based on this and geographic separation, the two subgroups are recognized as subspecies (subspp. hoffmanniana, orbignyana). (Henderson, A.J. (2011) A revision of Geonoma. Phytotaxa 17: 1-271.)/Palmweb. |
Culture
Comments and Curiosities
Uses: parts of this small tree are used to make utensils and tools, leaves are used for thatching, it's also used to make walking sticks, In Ecuador, the fruit is eaten by humans.
There are two sub-species:
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1.) Geonoma orbignyana subsp. hoffmanniana; Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panamá, From 8°52-13°02'N and 82°33-86°20'W in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama at 2008 (1400-3000) m elevation in montane rainforest. Inflorescences peduncular bracts 20.6(10.7-27.5) cm long; peduncles 32.4(20.9-56.0) cm long. Discussion: This subspecies occurs in three separate areas; Nicaragua, the central part of Costa Rica, and eastern Costa Rica/western Panama. There are six specimens from Nicaragua and these are small in size. There are no differences in any quantitative variable between these specimens and those of central Costa Rica, although they do occur at lower mean elevations (1475 m versus 2030 m). In central Costa Rica specimens occur on three separate Cordilleras; Pacific slope on Tilarán (Monteverde), Atlantic slope on Central (Barva); and Pacific and Atlantic slope on Central. Specimens from Tilarán (Monteverde) have unbranched inflorescences, as does one specimen from Central. Specimens from Barva and the Pacific and Atlantic slopes of Central are small in size and similar to those from Nicaragua. In eastern Costa Rica and western Panama, on the Talamanca, some specimens are also small (Davidse 26197, Fletes 1, Gamboa 708) but the others are the largest of any area, and occur at higher elevations. These specimens occur sympatrically with large specimens of G. undata subsp. edulis. Hammel et al. (2003) considered that larger specimens of subsp. hoffmanniana (as G. hoffmanniana) and sympatric subsp. edulis (as G. edulis) were - virtually indistinguishable. There is geographical variation in this subspecies. Regression shows there are significant associations between elevation and one plant, three leaf, and one inflorescence variable. Squared multiple R for the regression of stem height on elevation is 0.32, rachis width 0.24, basal pinna length 0.43, apical pinna length 0.33, and peduncle width 0.17. Values of these variables increase with increasing elevation. Stems become taller, rachis wider, basal and apical pinnae longer and peduncles wider with increasing elevation. (Henderson, A.J. (2011) A revision of Geonoma. Phytotaxa 17: 1-271.)/Palmweb. 2.) Geonoma orbignyana subsp. orbignyana; Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panamá, Peru, and Venezuela. From 11°06'N-17°47'S and 64°14-79°45'W in the Andes of South America in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia at 1966(775-2850) m elevation in montane rainforest. Inflorescences peduncular bracts 17.4(3.0-35.5) cm long; peduncles 25.8(6.0-59.5) cm long. Discussion: This subspecies is widely distributed and extremely variable. There is geographical variation, although much less than in the sympatric Geonoma undata. Regression shows there are significant associations between elevation and six leaf and three inflorescence variables. Squared multiple R for the regression of leaf number on elevation is 0.15, number of pinnae 0.03, basal pinna width 0.04, basal pinna angle 0.08, apical pinna width 0.08, apical pinna angle 0.10, prophyll length 0.08, interbract distance 0.15, and peduncle length 0.06. Plants at higher elevations have fewer leaves with fewer pinnae, wider basal and apical pinnae with narrower angles, and longer prophylls, interbract distances, and peduncles. Specimens from the Venezuelan Andes (lindeniana morphotype) have leaves with 6 (3-14) pinnae per side of the rachis and inflorescences with 7(4-14) rachillae. The types of G. lindeniana, G. margyraffia, and G. ramosa are from this region. Specimens occur in three areas. Those from Yaracuy have slender inflorescences branched to one order, few rachillae, and fruits which are obviously apiculate. Specimens from Trujillo are similar, except that one (Dorr 7315) has inflorescences branched to two orders, and the fruits are less obviously apiculate. Specimens from Táchira have stouter inflorescences with shorter peduncles, shorter inter?bract distances, and more, wider rachillae with a distinctive, thinner, sterile basal part. Several specimens from Cesar and Norte de Santander in Colombia are similar. Specimens from Colombia in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (pumila morphotype) have smaller leaves with 2 (2-3) pinnae per side of the rachis and slender inflorescences with 5 (3-9) rachillae. The type of G. pumila is from this area. Specimens from the central part of the Eastern Cordillera in Colombia (Boyacá, Cundinamarca, Meta, Norte de Santander, Santander)(linearifolia morphotype) have mostly regularly pinnate leaves with 16(3-26) pinnae per side of the rachis and branched, rarely unbranched inflorescences with 5 (1-12) rachillae. The type of G. linearifolia is from this area. One specimen from Cudinamarca (Grant 9177) has larger leaves and a large stout inflorescence, much larger than other specimens. Several specimens (Betancur 6220, Bernal 1342, 3512, 3513, Betancur 5714, Sánchez Vega 6696) from the Eastern Cordillera are larger than others and appear intermediate between this morphotype and the weberbaueri morphotype of G. undata subsp. undata. These may be hybrids and are excluded from the above descriptions and analyses. A few other specimens (Bernal 2900 - the type of G. wilsonii, Bernal 2901, Malagon 26) from Caquetá in the southern part of the Eastern Cordillera (wilsonii morphotype) are much reduced in size. Specimens from the Central and Western Cordilleras in Colombia (plicata morphotype) have leaves with 4 (1-14) pinnae per side of the rachis and stout, often elongate inflorescences with 9 (3-24) rachillae. Specimens from the Cerro San José and adjacent areas in Antioquia have plicate leaves. The types of Geonoma plicata, G. paleacea, G. goniocarpa, G. aulacophylla, G. lepidota, and G. microclada are from this area. Specimens from northern Ecuador are similar. On the eastern Andean slopes of Ecuador on the Cordillera de Huacamayos (baeza morphotype) specimens have leaves with 4 (3-6) pinnae per side of the rachis and slender inflorescences with 5 (1-9) rachillae with the peduncular bract inserted well above the prophyll and exerted from it. Specimens from southern Ecuador and northern Peru, and continuing south to Bolivia (southern morphotype), are very variable. In northern Peru, there are three distinct groups of specimens from San Martín occurring in the same area. One group (Gentry 45513, Smith 4590) has regularly pinnate leaves and inflorescences branched to two orders; the second (Smith 4842) has regularly pinnate leaves and two, thick rachillae; and the third (Gentry 45312, 45403, 45512, 45538) with undivided leaves and few, thin rachillae. There are two very distinct groups from the Cerro del Sira in Huánuco. One has finely pinnate leaves and small inflorescences and occurs at lower elevations (Dudley 13064, Rainer 133288, 1330188, 2214988, 2314988, Wolfe 12335); the second (Rainer 2513988) has irregularly pinnate leaves and larger inflorescences, and occurs at higher elevations.Specimens from southern part of Peru (Cuzco, Pasco, Puno) have wider rachillae. In Bolivia, some specimens have wide apical pinna and short, thick, densely tomentose rachillae, e.g., the type of G. pachydicrana. Other specimens have narrow and widely spaced pinnae, unbranched or branched inflorescences (sometimes on the same specimen), the bracts cover the peduncle, and glabrous rachillae. The types of G. orbignyana and G. jussieuana have this kind of inflorescence. (Henderson, A.J. (2011) A revision of Geonoma. Phytotaxa 17: 1-271.)/Palmweb. |
- IMAGE GALLERY
Grows in the forest. Label information: Ecuador Napo Province Yanayacu forest. Elevation: 2359 m. Coordinates: Forest Yanayacu: 00 ° 35.641S, 077 ° 53.984W.
Grows in the forest. Label information: Ecuador Napo Province Yanayacu forest. Elevation: 2359 m. Coordinates: Forest Yanayacu: 00 ° 35.641S, 077 ° 53.984W.
Grows in the forest. Label information: Ecuador Napo Province Yanayacu forest. Elevation: 2359 m. Coordinates: Forest Yanayacu: 00 ° 35.641S, 077 ° 53.984W.
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).
Henderson, A.J. (2011) A revision of Geonoma. Phytotaxa 17: 1-271.
Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.
