Syagrus kellyana

Syagrus (see-AHG-ruhs) kellyana (kehl-lee-AHN-ah)
Habitat. Photo-Rare Palm Seeds.com
Scientific Classification
Genus: Syagrus (see-AHG-ruhs) Species: kellyana (kehl-lee-AHN-ah)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
America
Morphology
Habit: Solitary Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
coco-de-quarta. (Quarter Coconut)

Habitat and Distribution

Brazil Southeast. Minas Gerais in the Atlantic forest, old Atlantic

Syagrus kellyana habitat. Photo by Dr. Kelen Soares.

Forest vegetation, in well-drained soils, usually growing on granitic rock or in shallow or thin soils on rock outcrops, 16°55'8.6"S - 41°28'32.2"W at an elevation of 500-600 m. elev."

Description

Palm with solitary, columnar stem, 2–5 m tall and 16–18 cm diam. Leaves 8–12 in the crown, somewhat plumose, spirally arranged and divergent in the crown, about 3 m long; sheath fibrous on the margins 70–138 cm long, pseudopetiole 27–64 cm long, true petiole short, absent to 11 × 3.5–4 cm and 1.5–2 cm thick; rachis 2.4–4 m long; leaflets 104–131 on each side of the rachis, linear with acuminate, nearly symmetrical apex, distributed irregularly in clusters of 2–4 (–5) and inserted in more than one plane, basal leaflets 58 × 0.8 cm, middle leaflets 57–72 × 3.3–4.5 cm and apical leaflets 26 × 0.6 cm. Inflorescences branched with peduncle 56–82 cm long, slightly flattened, 3–4 cm wide and 2–2.5 cm thick with the lower portion covered with a lepidote indument; prophyll 40–67 × 6–8 cm, peduncular bract 110–160 cm long and expanded part 62–97 × 15–35 cm; inflorescence axis 53–88 cm long; rachis 42–70 cm long; primary branches 47–69, 8–47 cm long; staminate flowers 11–21 × 4–7 mm, sepals 3–7 × 1–2 mm, glabrous, keeled and connate at the base, petals 12–17 × 5–6 mm with acute tips, nerves indistinct to slightly raised, stamens 7 mm long, anther 6 mm long, filaments 2.5–3.0 mm long; basal pistillate flowers pyramidal, glabrous, 16–21 × 9–13 mm (apical flowers 8–15 mm by 7–13 mm), sepals imbricate 10–21 × 7–13 mm, petals glabrous, imbricate at the base (upper 4–5 mm) slightly valvate at the tips, 11–13 × 5–8 mm, pistil with short white indument on the lower half becoming brownish lepidote on more mature ovaries, 7–11 × 4–9 mm, stigmas 3, 2–3 mm long, glabrous, staminodial ring about 2–3 mm high, 6-dentate. Fruits ovoid, 3.5–4 × 2.6–2.8 cm, with rougher brownish-yellow epicarp splitting a little at the apex when mature, endocarp 3.3–3.5 × 2.4–2.6 cm, 5–6 mm thick. (Drs. LARRY R. NOBLICK Montgomery Botanical Center & HARRI LORENZI Instituto Plantarum de Estudos da Flora) Editing by edric.

NOTES: When we first collected this species, we thought that it was a short Syagrus oleracea (Mart.) Becc. Then we noticed the S. picrophylla -like petals with their distinctive wide overlapping base abruptly terminating in an acute apiculate tip and so we identified this palm under that name. The S. picrophylla complex has caused much confusion among earlier botanists. Syagrus kellyana, S. picrophylla, S. lorenzoniorum and S. cearensis all have a seed with a large central cavity like a coconut, which may have led J. Barbosa Rodrigues (1903) to write that the species grew from Ceará to Rio de Janeiro. His 1903 publication had two drawings of this species, neither of which resembles the other, causing more confusion. However we do know his original description was from palms growing in the state of Rio de Janeiro and southern Espirito Santo and so after examining specimens of these, we were able to do more informative comparisons. Syagrus kellyana differs from S. picrophylla and S. lorenzoniorum in being a stouter, thicker stemmed palm with spreading, more arching leaves in healthy plants (rather than straighter more ascending leaves). The fruit are completely covered by a thin scaly lepidote, but S. picrophylla and S. lorenzoniorum are only covered at the tip or on the upper third. The tips of the inflorescence die, dry up and become twisted and shriveled during fruit development, but stay alive, nearly straight and turn a dark green in S. picrophylla. The primary branch tips also have conspicuous subfloral rachillae bracts that are nearly absent in S. picrophylla giving it a more ragged appearance. Anatomically, the abaxial (lower) surface of the leaflet has several distinct nonvascular fiber strands, which are missing in both S. lorenzoniorum and S. picrophylla. (Drs. LARRY R. NOBLICK Montgomery Botanical Center & HARRI LORENZI Instituto Plantarum de Estudos da Flora)

Culture

Cold Hardiness Zone: 10a

Comments and Curiosities

ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet honors Loyd Kelly and his family, who have so generously supported the Montgomery Botanical Center, and a great deal of research over the years.

PHENOLOGY: Flowering and fruiting in July.

"These pics I took in the Syagrus kellyana habitat. I confess I'm skeptic about it be a "different" and new specie, It's very similar to Syagrus picrophylla. The most evident difference is in the bigger fruit (sweet pulp and more succulent). However I see more different between some Syagrus romanzoffiana.

I've been growing this variety of Syagrus picrophylla from an adjoining population in Minas Gerais state for a couple of years now. At that time it was identified as Syagrus sp nov, by Lorenzi." I think that palms populations (same specie) are very variable when its habitats conditions are different (soil, climate, light, pH). Palms frequently without trunk sometimes show trunks. In good conditions even the palm fruits are bigger.

These are some HUGE Syagrus coronata grown in fertile soil, its fruits are huge too!!!

Considering this, I was wondering if Syagrus picrophylla, S. kellyana and Syagrus lorenzoniorum are the same specie??? (Dr. Kelen Soares)

"Like Kelen said above, it looks exactly like they're the same palms, except for a detail at the tips of the inflorescences, and other small details, as described in Palms...(?) I only hope it will not be lumped back into Syagrus picrophylla in the next revision of the genus... During the Biennial in Rio we all received T shirts sponsored by this palm species. These seeds are easy to germinate, and the seedlings are usually fast growers, like the other S. picrophyllas." (Gileno Machado)

A stately, new species, described in 2010 from the Atlantic Forest in the Brazilian State of Minas Gerais, where it grows on granite outcrops or shallow soils at mid elevations. Somewhat similar to S. picophylla, it sports a slender gray trunk to 5 m (17 ft.) tall and a rounded crown of beautifully arching, slightly plumose leaves. The large seeds are similar to those of Parajubaea cocoides. It will make a great addition to the range of easily grown palms for warm temperate as well as tropical climates. (RPS.com)

I've since learned that this is most likely just another form of syagrus picrophylla, so almost as hardy as a queen palm. Mine are some of the fastest and most robust syagrus growers I have. (Dr. Axel Kratel)