Difference between revisions of "Euterpe luminosa"

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Euterpe luminosa
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Scientific Classification
Genus: Euterpe Species: luminosa
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
America
Morphology
Habit: Clustering Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Peru : guayaquil , palma palanca.

Habitat and Distribution

Endemic to Peru. Known only from the type locality in Peru (Pasco); understory of moist cloud forest bordering pajonal vegetation, characterized by its shrubby, xeromorphic composition, alt. 2000-2500 m.

Description

Stems cespitose (growing in tufts or clumps), but generally only one developes with suckers at the base, erect, 5-11 m tall, 5-7 cm in diam., grayish. Leaves 9-12 in the crown, spreading; sheath 48-65 cm long, without a ligule, green, with moderate covering of woolly, reddish brown hairs apically; petiole 20-35 cm long, green (reddish, as the rachis, in young plants), densely covered on both surfaces with woolly, reddish brown hairs; rachis 1.1-1.4 m long, densely covered on both surfaces with hairs like those of petiole; pinnae 48-69 per side, almost pendulous (forming a roof shape), subopposite, glabrous, with midvein prominent adaxially and abaxially and with 2 submarginal lateral veins, the pinnae margins and veins adaxially and abaxially with scattered ramenta; basal pinna 20-25 x 0.1-0.2 cm wide; middle pinnae 35-41 x 0.6-1 cm wide; apical pinna 14-15 x 0.5 cm. lnflorescences infrafoliar at anthesis, erect; peduncle 4-5 cm long, 1 cm in diam. at peduncular bract scar; prophyll about 32 cm long, about 3 cm in diam., papyraceous, glabrous; peduncular bract 32 cm long, without an umbo, 2 cm in diam. glabrous, peduncle with 2 or 3 smaller peduncular bracts present to 4 cm long; rachis 13-16 cm long; rachillae 30-40, to 30 cm long, to 2 mm in diam. at anthesis, absent from adaxial surface of rachis, slightly swollen at base, each subtended by a small bracteole, sparsely to densely covered with 0.5 mm long, stellate, reddish brown hairs, these straight or slightly undulate, fasciculate; flowers in triads proximally, paired or solitary staminate distally, or occasionally inflorescence almost all staminate; triad bracteole prominent, apiculate to 1 mm long. Second and third flower bracteoles low, membranous; staminate flowers 6-7 mm long, some shortly pedicellate; sepals deltate, 2.5 mm long, briefly connate below, free distally, gibbous; petals triangular, 5 mm long; stamens arranged on a short receptacle; filaments 1.5 mm long; anthers 3 mm long; pistillode 1 mm long; pistillate flowers to 2.5 mm long; sepals very widely ovate, 2 mm long; petals very widely ovate, 2 mm long; staminodes 6, very small, digitate. Fruits ellipsoid, 2 cm long, 1 cm in diam., the stigmatic remains prominent, subapical, with an expanded perianth to 7 mm long; epicarp black; seeds ellipsoid; endosperm homogeneous, with central air space; eophyll pinnate with an elongate rachis. Editing by edric.

This unusual species not only has a very narrow range (as currently known) but it also is unique in having ellipsoid fruits, a condition nearly unknown in both Prestoea (rarely occurring in P. acuminata var. dasystachys) and Euterpe. It is also unusual in the genus in having a pinnate eophyll with an elongate rachis, and staminodes in the pistillate flowers; both of these characters occur in Prestoea. (Gloria Galeano and A. Henderson).

Culture

Comments and Curiosities

Uses: Often used for palm hearts. The trunks are used as poles, to move small canoes.

External Links

• Glossary of Palm Terms
• Pronunciation Key

References

Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos, edric.

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