Cyphophoenix fulcita
Cyphophoenix (sigh-foh-FEH-niks) fulcita (fool-SEET-ah) | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Location: Forêt Cachée, New Caledonia. | |||||||
Scientific Classification | |||||||
| |||||||
Synonyms | |||||||
| |||||||
Native Continent | |||||||
| |||||||
Morphology | |||||||
| |||||||
Culture | |||||||
| |||||||
Survivability index | |||||||
| |||||||
Common names | |||||||
|
Contents
Habitat and Distribution
Cyphophoenix fulcita is limited to the southern tip of Grande Terre (the main island), New Caledonia, where it grows in low, wet, mountainous rain forests and serpentine rocks. Substratum: On bedrock, eroded, more rarely on shallow colluvium, on ultramafic substrate.Description
The trunk reaches 7 to 13 m. in height, it has a grayish stout trunk, reaching a diameter of up to 25 cm. wide, with the support of a massive cone of stilt roots, attaining hight of 50 to 60 cm.. Trunk prominently ringed with leaf scars, this species has a very high crown, green to white, with a bulge in the base of the crownshaft, measuring 70 to 90 cm. high, the base covered with a olive-green tomentum, turning light brown, and thick upward. The leaves are pinnate, 1.85 to 2.50 m. long, with a short petiole up to 3 m. long, pinnae up to 1 m. long, single fold, dark green, petiole and rachis scaly to tomentose. The inflorescence is interleaving, once or twice branched and hairy, up to five inflorescences glabrous, 20-60 cm. long, spreading and drooping. Both male and female flowers, are born in triads at the base, and are solitary or in pairs. The fruit is slightly ovoid or ellipsoidal, eccentric, black when ripe, with staminal borrows at the top, smooth epicarp, mesocarp fleshy, fibrous, with a similarly shaped seeds. Editing by edric.
Culture
Comments and Curiosities
Formerly Campecarpus fulcitus. Campecarpus is (was) a monotypic genus in the palm family.
Etymology: The genus name is a combination of the Greek words for "curved" and "fruit", and the epithet "fulcitus" is Latin for "propped up", which refers to the stilt roots that make this species easy to identify in habitat.
External Links
- Glossary of Palm Terms
- MODERN BOTANICAL LATIN
- "Just To Be Clear"
- http://nzpalmandcycad.com/?pg=96
- http://southeastgarden.com/new-caledonia.html
- New Caledonia photos in habitat.
References
All information translated from the French
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).
Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.