Syagrus vermicularis

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Syagrus (see-AHG-ruhs)
vermicularis
(vehr-mihk-oo-LAHR-ihs)
Sv564675796744.JPG
Açailandia, Maranhão, Brazil. Photo by Dr. LARRY R. NOBLICK.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Syagrus (see-AHG-ruhs)
Species:
vermicularis
(vehr-mihk-oo-LAHR-ihs)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
America
America.gif
Morphology
Habit: Solitary
Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
pati. It is interesting to note that this same common name is also applied to S. botryophora from the Atlantic coastal rain forest.

Habitat and Distribution

Brazil, state of Maranhão (midwestern portion) near Açailandia and Imperatriz, Maranhão,
Institute Plantarum, Nova Odessa, São Paulo, Brazil. Photo by Photo by Mauricio Moreira Caixeta.
state of Para (at least in the mid-eastern part) near Serra Carajás and the Rio Paraupebas and probably the northern part of the state of Tocantins. In pre-Amazonian seasonally wet, marginal or secondary forests on terra firme with deep lateritic clay soils on rolling or steep hilly slopes at about 100–200 m. elevation. Often growing in open pastures. Also seen on lower slopes adjacent to river floodplains. Other palms present were Oenocarpus bataua, Oenocarpus disticus, Attalea maripa (Maxmiliana maripa) with Euterpe oleracea in the low lying areas. PHENOLOGY: Many of the trees in September had immature developing fruits. A small number had mature fruits and fewer still had flowers. Fortunately, I found a few sporadic inflorescences, but all contained only male flowers. I found this initially perplexing, but after growing them at MBC, it has been observed that the first few inflorescences of young palms do frequently produce only male flowers and often these flower outside their normal season. However, it must be noted that female flower bearing inflorescences were observed opening at MBC in September. (L. Noblick, Syagrus vermicularis, a Fascinating New Palm from Northern Brazil. 2004)/Palmweb.

Description

Solitary palm tree. Stem erect, 10 m tall, about 12–20 cm in diam., basally with a large root boss to about 45 cm in diam., distally stem very conspicuously ringed with oblique leaf scars, new internodes densely covered with white caducous wooly indument; internode about 9–17 cm long. Leaves about 12–15 in crown, spirally arranged and spreading; leaf sheath plus petiole about 90–100 cm long × about 18–20 cm wide at the base, composed of finely-netted matting of fibers breaking away easily and leaving a finely fibrous margin on the apparent petiole, apparent petiole adaxially channeled and abaxially rounded and covered adaxially with wooly caducous indument; true petiole 6–8 cm long, about 3.1–4.4 cm wide and 1.5–2.2 cm thick at the base of the leaf blade; rachis 2.2–2.5 m long with about 100–140 pairs of leaflets distributed in clusters of 2–3 along the rachis in various divergent planes; middle leaflets about 80–90 cm long × 3–4 cm wide. Infloresence interfoliar, androgynous, erect in bud, later horizontal; peduncle 60–61 cm long × 4 cm wide × 2 cm thick; peduncular bract about 90–103 cm long including a beak 4–5 cm and the expanded or inflated part of the bract measuring ca. 55–65 × 27–29 cm and with a perimeter 33–37 cm, 5–9 mm thick, often separating from the peduncle before the fruits reach full maturity; rachis 49–52 cm long; rachillae about 70–100, apical ones about 54 cm long and basal ones about 118 cm, a major part of the distal portion of the rachillae devoid of any flowers, sterile and folded back and forth on themselves like dried noodles or worms. Flowers bright yellow drying white or cream-colored.

Culture

Cold Hardiness Zone: 10a

Comments and Curiosities

Etymology: The specicic epithet from the Latin; (vermicularis = worm-like) refers to the vermicelli (noodles) like rachillae.

Conservation: Syagrus vermicularis is threatened by the heavy lumbering practices, that are reducing the regional forests to pasture. However, this palm species seems to thrive in secondary growth and farmers often maintain the trees in their pastures.

Discovered only in 1994 by Syagrus expert Larry Noblick in the northeastern Brazilian province of Maranhão, this medium-sized Syagrus develops a slender, greenish, ringed trunk to about 10 m (33 ft.) tall that holds a rather open crown of beautifully arching, slightly plumose leaves with deep glossy green leaflets that are drooping towards their tip. The characteristic inflorescence is released from a large, woody bract and has countless, long yellow flowering branches that are curiously twisted and zigzagging, somewhat reminiscent of a package of ramen noodles. In cultivation it is still rarely seen but has proven to be easy to grow and very adaptable to all tropical and many warm temperate climates. (RPS.com)



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).

L. Noblick, Syagrus vermicularis, a Fascinating New Palm from Northern Brazil. 2004


Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.

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