Roscheria melanochaetes
| Roscheria (ross-kehr-EE-ah) melanochaetes (meh-lah-noh-KEH-tehs) | ||||||||
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 Botanic Garden of Mont-Fleuri, Victoria Island, Seychelles. Photo by Philippe. | ||||||||
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Contents
Habitat and Distribution
Roscheria melanochaetes naturally occur on the Mahé and Silhouette Islands of the
Description
Roscheria melanochaetes is a slow growing palm, the trunk reaches 8 m in height at 8 cm in diameter, usually straight, featuring distinctive rings near the crown. The trunks exhibit rings of black spines at each stem node, but this feature is most pronounced in young plants; as the plants age they grow fewer and fewer trunk spines, or none at all. Spines are also present on the crownshaft and petioles and these persist into maturity. The crownshaft is 3 m tall, light green in color, covered in brown scales, especially nearing the top. The crownshaft bulges in its center and holds 12-16 pinnate leaves, 1-2 m long on 15-20 cm petioles. The leaves are distinct in that the individual leaflets exhibit enormous variation; some have a single rib while others have several, some are broad, some are narrow, some have pointed apices while others are obliquely truncated. The leaves are light to bright green on top and dull green to brown underneath; but for the bifid apices, juvenile leaves are undivided and pink to red in color. Unlike most crownshafted species, the inflorescence in R. melanochaetes emerges from the leaf axil rather than beneath the shaft. The much branched panicle is 1-2 m with unisexual flowers of both sexes. Fruit matures to a 1 cm red drupe with one seed. Editing by edric.
Culture
These plants will not tolerate drought or cold. Growing naturally in rain forest understory, they also require shade when young, as well as moist, humus rich soil. These particulars usually make the plant difficult to cultivate, even in tropical areas.
Comments and Curiosities
This is a monotypic genus.
Etymology: Named for Albrecht Roscher, 19th-century German explorer, and the epithet for its single species R. melanochaetes derives from Latin and Greek meaning 'black' and 'bristle', alluding to the spines covering the trunks.
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Conservation: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011: Roscheria melanochaetes is endemic to Mahé, Praslin and Silhouette, Seychelles. The species is rather common in the under story of several habitat types and the population size most likely exceeds 10,000 mature individuals. It is mainly threatened by its restricted range and decline in the quality of its habitat due to spreading of alien invasive species. It seems to regenerate well and it is unlikely that any specific human activities or stochastic events in the foreseeable future will pose a sever threat to this species. It is listed as Near Threatened. (IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011) This species is endemic to the Seychelles. It occurs on Mahé, Praslin and Silhouette (Robertson 1989, Dogley and Matatiken 2006). The extent of occurrence (EOO) was not determined, but the total area of the three islands is 216 km2 (National Statistics Bureau 2005). Important sites are Morne Blanc, La Reserve and Congo Rouge on Mahé. (IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011) The current population size is unknown, but most likely exceeds 10,000 mature individuals. The species is rather common in the under story of several habitat types (Carlström 1996). A past decline of the population can be suspected, but quantification is not possible as it is still relatively wide distributed in different habitat types. It is not adequate to assume that a future decline caused by habitat quality loss through invasive species will exceed 30% population reduction. (IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011) The main threats to this species a its restricted range and a decline in the quality of its habitat due to spreading invasive alien species. The species is present in the Morne Seychellois and the Praslin National Parks and is legally protected (Laws of Seychelles 1991). (IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011) A beautiful palm from the Seychelles Islands, where it grows on steep slopes, sometimes in pure stands, to altitudes of 750 m (2500 ft.) in wet tropical forest. The most attractive young plants have entire leaves and are quite spiny. When they mature, the armament is lost, as is the case with other Seychelles palms, and they produce a solitary, slender trunk and an open crown of short leaves with wide segments. Roscheria does best in the undergrowth of the tropical garden. It is a fast, but tender palm. (RPS.com) "Very attractive species from the Seychelles islands with spines (on young palms only) and irregularly split, wide leafltets on sparse arching 5-6 ft. leaves. This is a very tropical palm being marginal in zone 10b. Very unusual looking, too, in it's leaf formation. Very slow grower. I have tried it, stupidly listening to a local 'expert', and it died at about 40F... no way it could survive in So CAl." (Geoff Stein) |
- IMAGE GALLERY
Fairchild Botanical Gardens, FL.
Juvenile plant - Kona, Hawaii.
Hawaiian Tropical Botanical Garden.
Mont Jasmin, Mah, Seychelles. Photo by Dr, John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Multi-fold Segments. Mah, Seychelles. Photo by Dr, John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Palm House, RBG Kew, UK. Photo by Dr, William J. Baker, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Mah, Seychelles. Photo by Dr, John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Mah, Seychelles. Photo by Dr, John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Thailand. Photo by Philippe Alvarez, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Hawaii. Photo by Geoff Stein.
Hawaii. Photo by Geoff Stein.
Hawaii. Photo by Geoff Stein.
Hawaii. Photo by Geoff Stein.
Hawaii. Photo by Geoff Stein.
Hawaii. Photo by Geoff Stein.
Nong Nooch Botanical Garden, Thailand. Photo by Geoff Stein.
Hawaii. Photo by Geoff Stein.
Hawaii. Photo by Geoff Stein.
Hawaii. Photo by Geoff Stein.
Hawaii. Photo by Geoff Stein.
Hawaii. Photo by Geoff Stein.
Photo by Mike Gray.
Photo by Mike Gray.
Praslin Island, Seychelles. Photo by Foto-Rimmele.
Praslin Island, Seychelles. Photo by Foto-Rimmele.
Praslin Island, Seychelles. Photo by Foto-Rimmele.
Praslin Island, Seychelles. Photo by Foto-Rimmele.
Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Seychelles.
Vallée de Mai on Praslin island, Seychelles. Photo by Philippe.
Vallée de Mai on Praslin island, Seychelles. Photo by Philippe.
Vallée de Mai on Praslin island, Seychelles. Photo by Philippe.
Vallée de Mai on Praslin island, Seychelles. Photo by Philippe.
Vallée de Mai on Praslin island, Seychelles. Photo by Philippe.
Vallée de Mai on Praslin island, Seychelles. Photo by Philippe.
Vallée de Mai on Praslin island, Seychelles. Photo by Philippe.
Vallée de Mai on Praslin island, Seychelles. Photo by Philippe.
Vallée de Mai on Praslin island, Seychelles. Photo by Philippe.
Vallée de Mai on Praslin island, Seychelles. Photo by Philippe.
Botanic Garden of Mont-Fleuri, Victoria Island, Seychelles. Photo by Philippe.
Botanic Garden of Mont-Fleuri, Victoria Island, Seychelles. Photo by Philippe.
Botanic Garden of Mont-Fleuri, Victoria Island, Seychelles. Photo by Philippe.
Botanic Garden of Mont-Fleuri, Victoria Island, Seychelles. Photo by Philippe.
Botanic Garden of Mont-Fleuri, Victoria Island, Seychelles. Photo by Philippe.
Botanic Garden of Mont-Fleuri, Victoria Island, Seychelles. Photo by Philippe.
Botanic Garden of Mont-Fleuri, Victoria Island, Seychelles. Photo by Philippe.
Botanic Garden of Mont-Fleuri, Victoria Island, Seychelles. Photo by Philippe.
Photo: Rare Palm Seeds.com
Image Text: botany.cz
Image Text: botany.cz
Image Text: photomazza.com
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External Links
- Glossary of Palm Terms
- MODERN BOTANICAL LATIN
- "Just To Be Clear"
- http://www.photomazza.com/?Roscheria-melanochaetes
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).
Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.
