Balaka streptostachys
| Balaka (bah-LAHK-ah) streptostachys (strehp-toh-STAHK-eez) | |||||||
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Contents
Habitat and Distribution
Balaka streptostachys is found in Fiji. Vanua Levu,
Grows as an understory palm in lower montane rainforest in a boggy area. Balaka streptostachys ocurs as an understory palm species in mixed evergreen lower montane rainforest. The single known population is growing on very wet, spongy ground in a flat section of the Mt. Sorolevu foothills. This area receives well over 3000 mm of rain per year. The associated vegetation includes the palms Heterospathe longipes H.E. Moore (new island record McClatchey and Fuller 1101/191, 13 May 1995, and FTG, SUVA]), Balaka macrocarpa Burret and Physokentia thurstonii (Becc.) Becc. Higher up the slopes starting at about 500 m, large numbers of Hydriastele microcarpa Essig (new island record McClatchey and Fuller 1117/210, l7 May 1995, FTG, SUVA]) can be found, and Clinostigma exorrhizum (H. Wendl.) Becc. occurs above 900 m on the slopes and the top of Mt Sorolevu. (D. Fuller. 1999)/Palmweb.
Description
Solitary palm, trunk erect, 4-7 m tall, 7-10 cm in diameter breast high, base not expanded, internodes congested, dark green to grey with age, nodes conspicuous, light green-brown. Leaves eight to ten in the crown, held erect, slightly arcuate, regularly pinnate, to 3 m long including petiole and leaf sheath, adaxially mid green, abaxially olive green; petiole 35-45 x 2.5-3.5 cm wide, adaxially concave, abaxially rounded, densely tomentose with scattered long dark scales; leafsheath tubular, split longitudinally opposite the petiole in the upper quarter, 30-50 cm long, abaxially green-light brown, densely tomentose with scattered dark scales, adaxially white, glabrous, margins at the apex lacerate-fibrous, fibers coarse and thick; rachis densely tomentose with scattered dark scales, proximally channelled, becoming ridged distally adaxially, abaxially rounded proximally, flattened distally, diamond-shaped in cross-section at mid rachis. Pinnae in one plane, regularly arranged,| read more |
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| sub-opposite, 18-22 per side, obliquely truncate at the apex, apically dentate; mid-leaf pinnae elongately falcate, 83-95 x 6-8 cm wide, tapered from the middle toward the apex and the base; basal pinnae 90-110 x 6-7 cm wide; distal pinnae increasingly elongate to compactly cuneate toward the leaf apex, apical pair basally joined for one-sixth to one-fourth their length; mid rib prominent on both sides in all pinnae, secondary ribs almost as prominent abaxially only, two to six each side of pinna, marginal veins thick, lower marginal vein tomentose. Inflorescence interfoliar becoming infrafoliar in age, 1-1.5 m long, branched to three orders; axes densely silver tomentose when young, densely red-brown tomentose at maturity; prophyll boat-shaped, 3 5-40 cm long, fully encircling the peduncle at attachment, persistent; peduncular bract one, 70-78 cm long, attached 27-30 cm above attachment of the prophyll, narrowly tubular, persistent and withering to a fibrous papyraceous tate; peduncle elongate, 60-65 x 2.0-3.5 cm wide, laterally compressed, elliptical in cross section; rachilla 16-30 x 0.4-0.5 cm wide, irregularly angled in cross-section, densely tomentose, triads in shallow pits, three to eight triads ranked linear-distichous, rachilla with 40˚-60˚ twists at intermittent intervals, with three to five twists per rachilla. Flowers in triads for entire length ofthe rachilla; staminate flowers bullet-shaped in bud, 6-7 mm long, symmetrical, white; sepals triangular, 3 mm long, margins smooth; petals eiongare, 6 mm long, 2-3 mm wide, apically pointed, thick, apically valvate; stamens 20-35; filaments thin 3-4 mm long; anthers linear, 4 mm long, dorsifixed, versatile; pistillode elongate, 4-5 mm long, flask-shaped. Pollen elliptical in polar view, long axis about 36 pm, short axis about 15 pm, monosulcate, exine tectate, finely reticulate. Fruit irregularly ovoid, tapered toward the apex, 18-25 x 8-14 mm wide, orange-red at maturity, stigmatic remains apical on a beaked cone; epicarp smooth, drying moderately granular; mesocarp 2-3 mm thick, fibrous; endocarp longitudinally ridged, four-angled in cross section, apex with a moderate beaked extension, surface with numerous irregular shallow channels; seed similarly shaped as endocarp; hilum longitudinal; endosperm homogeneous; embryo basal. Eophyll bifid. (D. Fuller. 1999)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.
Balaka streptostachys is distinguished by its comparatively greater trunk diameter, to about l0 cm, than that of similar species such as B. microcarpa and B. macrocarpa. The inflorescence is distinctive in that the rachillae are densely tomentose, have 40˚-60˚ twists at intermittent intervals, and are angular in cross-section. Triads are ranked distichously, three to eight per section between the twists in the rachilla. The endocarp and seed are ridged and angular as with other Balaka species, though the arrangement with a single prominent longitudinal ridge, extended "wings" and quadrangular in cross-section is distinctive. An informal description of this species was included under the name of Balaka "robusta" in Fuller (1997) and again in Doyle and Fuller (1998). The species was first observed by Timoci Bulitavu, while working on construction of a logging road. Subsequently he showed it to palm horticulturist, Dick Phillips of Suva, Fiji, in early 1994, and again to Phillips along with DF and Will McClatchey in 1995. (D. Fuller. 1999)/Palmweb. |
Culture
This palm prefers filtered light. It prefers warm and protected areas with plenty of water, and is very suitable for cultivation in the humid tropics. Cold Hardiness Zone: 11
Comments and Curiosities
Etymology: From the Greek strepto (twisted) and stachys (spike) in reference to intermittent 40˚-60˚ twists in the rachilla, with the sections between the twists otherwise straight. This character has not been observed in other species of Balaka. (D. Fuller. 1999)/Palmweb.
Conservation: Proposed for IUCN Red List threatened category - Critically Endangered. There are 50-60 adult trees in the single known population of this unusual palm. This area has been selectively logged, and future logging is imminent. Dick Phillips (personal communication) has two seedlings of this taxon in cultivation in Fiji. (D. Fuller. 1999)/Palmweb.
"Regarded as critically endangered and exists in one known colony of 50 to 60 palms in and around the rainforest. This is the stoutest of the Balaka with a trunk of up to 100mm or 4 inches thickness that is double the others." (Jim Valentine), edric.
- IMAGE GALLERY
"300 meters altitude, where rainfall is more than 3 meters annually." Balaka streptostachys is endemic to Vanua Levu Island, Fiji. Photo by Jim Valentine.
"300 meters altitude, where rainfall is more than 3 meters annually." Balaka streptostachys is endemic to Vanua Levu Island, Fiji. Photo by Jim Valentine.
"300 meters altitude, where rainfall is more than 3 meters annually." Balaka streptostachys is endemic to Vanua Levu Island, Fiji. Photo by Jim Valentine.
Photo by Dick Phillips.
Distribution.
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).
Fuller, D.1999. A New Species of Balaka from Fiji. Palms 43(1) 10-14.
Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.
