Trachycarpus geminisectus
Trachycarpus (trahk-ee-KAHR-puhs) geminisectus (jehm-ihn-ih-SEHK-tuhs) | |||||||
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Contents
Habitat and Distribution
Vietnam, Ha Giang province (Quan Ba district) and Cao Bang province (Bao Lac district). In primary closed or secondary, low, wet, mossy mixed cloud forest on steep slopes and along remnant karst limestone ridges, at 1100–1600 m a.s.l.; cooccurring with conifers such as Cupressus, Taxus, Nagea, Pseudotsuga, broadleaf trees like Rhododendron, several Lauraceae and Rosaceae spp. Palms such as Plectocomia(?) and large Caryota have been observed close-by. Even though it has not been observed there yet, it seems very likely that T. geminisectus also occurs in similar habitats just across the border in China’s Guangxi province. (M. Gibbons. 2003)/Palmweb.Description
Solitary, unarmed, dioecious fan palm; trunk erect, 1–2 m tall, densely clothed in persistent, fibrous leaf-sheaths, about 25 cm in diameter. Leaves 10–12, forming a spreading, very open crown, marcescent leaves forming a loose skirt around the trunk; leafsheath fibrous, very coarse, dark brown, persistent, dotted with a few pale brown scales, exposed part of sheath divided into stiff, wiry threads; petiole about 85 cm, slender, about 1.4 cm wide and 0.9 cm high near middle, very robust, stiff, flat above, triangular in cross section, with a broad yellow stripe below, orange towards the base, glabrescent, margins minutely toothed; hastula small, about 1.5 cm long, triangular, petiole slightly extending into the blade below to form a weak costa; leaf-blade palmate, 3/4 to 4/4 orbicular, about 85 cm long from hastula, about 130 cm wide, very leathery, dark, glossy green above, thick whitish waxy below, transverse veinlets barely visible, deeply and regularly divided for more than 3/4 its length into about 40 rigid, stiff, linear segments, joined for their entire length in groups of 2 or rarely 3, slightly tapering from 2/3 their length from the hastula towards the apex, arranged in one plane, producing a nearly flat leaf profile; central segments about 85 cm long, 4 cm wide at middle (i.e. about 8 cm for a typical double segment), with a very thick and prominent midrib beneath, lateral segments gradually more narrow and shorter, to about 50 x1.5 cm, apex of segments acute-notched, shortly bifid. Inflorescences few, interfoliar, branched to 3 orders. Male inflorescence short, about 50 cm long; peduncle short, oval in cross section; peduncular and inflorescence bracts keeled, base tubular, inflated distally, slightly tomentose, apex acuminate; rachis bracts similar to peduncular bracts; rachillae short, 3–6 cm long, thin; flowers densely arranged, subtended by minute bracteoles, globose, about 3 mm in diameter, yellow, fragrant; sepals ovate-triangular, 2 mm long, briefly connate at base; petals oblong orbicular, twice as long as sepals; stamens 6, exceeding the petals; filaments slightly ventricose; anthers saggitate, blunt; pistillodes about half the length of stamens. Female inflorescence long, robust, stiff, spreading; peduncle oval in crosssection, prophyll 2-keeled, long, tubular; peduncular and rachis bracts, keeled, long, tubular, apex acuminate; rachillae 7–13 cm long, fleshy, yellowish in fruit; flowers globose, 2–3 mm in diameter, yellow, fragrant, usually solitary, subtended by minute bracteoles, sepals 2 mm long, orbicular; petals oblong-orbicular, 2.5–3 mm long; staminodes very small; carpels ventricose with a short, conical style. Fruit shortly stalked, reniform, wider than long; epicarp thin, black, with a white bloom; mesocarp thin; seed reniform, wider than long; endocarp very thin; endosperm homogeneous. Germination remote-tubular, eophyll simple, narrow, plicate (M. Gibbons. 2003)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.
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CULTIVATION: For lack of propagating material, Trachycarpus geminisectus has not yet been introduced into cultivation. There are no plants of this species outside its native habitat. We believe however, that because of its very ornamental large leaves with wide segments and its supposed resistance to cold, it would be a highly desirable landscaping plant for temperate and subtropical areas alike. NOTES: T. geminisectus is easily distinguished from other members of the genus by its large leaves with paired, very wide segments and short trunk with persistent leaf bases that have very coarse, wiry fibers. The double leaf segments, 8 cm wide, or the occasional triple segment, about 12 cm wide, represent by far the widest in the genus. Vegetatively and in floral structure, T. geminisectus seems most closely related to T. princeps Gibbons, Spanner & S. Y. Chen. As there is no recent taxonomic treatment of the genus Trachycarpus (but see Beccari 1931, Kimnach 1977 and Gibbons & Spanner 1998), relationships of T. geminisectus will be dealt with more precisely in a conspectus of the whole genus, which will appear in a later publication. (M. Gibbons. 2003)/Palmweb. |
Culture
Sunny, well drained position. Cold tolerant. Slow growing when young.
Comments and Curiosities
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Described in 2003. Etymology: The specific epithet (Latin – geminisectus, with twin segments) relates to the fact that the leaf segments of this palm are usually joined in pairs along their entire length. Conservation: With the meager data available at this moment, no precise assessment is possible. Apparently it is very common on some ridges within its distribution area. Its habitat is steep and nearly inaccessible and because the plant has no uses, human interference is minimal. However, it seems that this species could be at risk because of a scattered distribution and through hybridization influence from T. fortunei, which is cultivated in nearby villages. It apparently does not occur in any protected area. (M. Gibbons. 2003)/Palmweb. "The latest discovery of the genus Trachycarpus was this species that is native to the mountainous border in the far north of Vietnam with China, first described in 2003. It forms a rather short stem covered with very harsh, short, long-lived leaf sheaths fibers. The few long, flat leaves have about 40 segments that grow along the entire length in two or rarely three groups and give the leaf its unique appearance. The leaves are very thick and leathery and have a rich, dark green shiny coloring on the top and an impressive awake white coloring on the bottom. Although it is far less elegant than T. princeps, with which it has in common the white undersides of leaves, yet it is certainly an interesting robust and very cold-resistant ornamental plant. It seems to be related closely with T. nanus." (palmking09.npage.de) The latest discovery in the Trachycarpus family, this species was described as recently as 2003 from where mountainous northernmost Vietnam borders on China. It forms a rather short trunk clothed in very coarse, short, persistent leaf sheath fibers. Its few large, flat leaves have about 40 segments, joined for their entire length in groups of 2 or rarely 3, which gives the leaf a unique appearance. The leaves are very thick and leathery and display a deep, glossy dark green above and a stunning waxy white below. Though far less elegant than T. princeps, with which it shares the white underside of the leaves, it will undoubtedly make an interesting, robust and very cold hardy ornamental. It seems to be most closely related to T. nanus. (RPS.bom)
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External Links
- Glossary of Palm Terms
- MODERN BOTANICAL LATIN
- "Just To Be Clear"
- Trachycarpus geminisectus, the Eight Peaks Fan Palm, a New Species from Vietnam
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).
Gibbons, M.2003. Trachycarpus geminisectus, the Eight Peaks Fan Palm, a New Species from Vietnam. Palms 47(3) 143-148.
Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.