| Aiphanes leiostachys | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Arecales |
| Family: | Arecaceae |
| Genus: | Aiphanes |
| Species: | A. leiostachys |
| Binomial name | |
| Aiphanes leiostachys | |
Aiphanes leiostachys is a species of palm that is endemic to Colombia. Known from only a few forest fragments in the Cordillera Central, it is threatened by habitat loss and forest management practices.
Aiphanes lindeniana is a small palm 3.5 to 5 metres (11 to 16 ft) tall with stems about 3 centimetres (1.2 in) in diameter, which are sparsely covered with slender spines up to 3 cm (1.2 in) long. Individuals are usually multi-stemmed, with up to 10 stems, but occasionally are single-stemmed. Stems bear about 11 leaves which consists of a leaf sheath, a petiole and a rachis. Leaf sheaths, which wrap around the stem, are 18 cm (7 in) long and are densely covered with black spines up to 1 cm (0.39 in) long. Petioles are green, 14 to 16 cm (6 to 6 in) long, and are covered with spines up to 5 cm (2.0 in) long. Rachises are 102 to 108 cm (40 to 43 in) and covered with spines. Leaves each bear 17 to 20 pairs of leaflets which are arranged in three vertical rows. [2]
The male flowers, which are white with a purplish-brown corolla, are 1.5 to 2 millimetres (0.059 to 0.079 in) long. The female flowers are slightly larger—2.5 to 3 mm (0.098 to 0.118 in) long. The fruit have not been described. [2]
The species was first described by German botanist Max Burret in 1932, based on a collection made in 1880. Since the original collection was destroyed when the Berlin Herbarium was bombed during the Second World War, a neotype has been designated. [2]
Aiphanes leiostachys is endemic to Colombia where it is known from only a few forest fragments in the Cordillera Central [1] in an area that has largely been deforested. [2] Given its limited range and the continuing pressures of forest conversion for agriculture and plantation forestry, it is classified as an endangered species. [1]
Bactris is a genus of spiny palms which are native to Mexico, South and Central America and the Caribbean. Most species are small trees about 2 m tall, but some are large trees while others are shrubs with subterranean stems. They have simple or pinnately compound leaves and yellow, orange, red or purple-black fruit. The genus is most closely related to several other spiny palms—Acrocomia, Aiphanes, Astrocaryum and Desmoncus. The fruit of several species is edible, most notably B. gasipaes, while others are used medicinally or for construction.
Aiphanes is a genus of spiny palms which is native to tropical regions of South and Central America and the Caribbean. There are about 26 species in the genus, ranging in size from understorey shrubs with subterranean stems to subcanopy trees as tall as 20 metres (66 ft). Most have pinnately compound leaves ; one species has entire leaves. Stems, leaves and sometimes even the fruit are covered with spines. Plants flower repeatedly over the course of their lifespan and have separate male and female flowers, although these are borne together on the same inflorescence. Although records of pollinators are limited, most species appear to be pollinated by insects. The fruit are eaten by several birds and mammals, including at least two species of amazon parrots.
Aiphanes minima is a spiny palm tree which is native to the insular Caribbean from Hispaniola to Grenada, and widely cultivated elsewhere. Usually 5–8 metres (16–26 ft) tall, it sometimes grows as an understorey tree and only 2 m (6.6 ft) in height.
Bactris campestris is a small spiny palm which grows in multi-stemmed clumps in savannas and low forests in northern South America from Colombia to the Guianas, Trinidad and Tobago, and northern Brazil.
Attalea crassispatha is a palm which is endemic to southwest Haiti. The most geographically isolated member of the genus, it is considered a critically endangered species and has been called one of the rarest palms in the Americas.
Aiphanes acaulis is a spiny palm endemic to western Colombia. It is acaulescent, as the specific epithet "acaulis" implies, – that is, the stem is short to the extent that it is difficult to see at all, and mostly subterranean. Plants have 8 to 10 leaves which are up to 1.5 metres long. The flowers are purple and are borne on an erect inflorescence.
Aiphanes chiribogensis is a species of palm which is endemic to western Ecuador. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Aiphanes duquei is a species of palm that is endemic to Colombia. Known from only a small area in the Cordillera Occidental, it is threatened by habitat loss and forest management practices.
Aiphanes lindeniana is a species of palm that is endemic to Colombia. Although widespread in the Cordillera Occidental and Cordillera Central, it is threatened by habitat loss and forest management practices.
Livistona tahanensis is a species of medium-sized palm tree of the genus Livistona, found on only one mountain top in Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia. In Malay the palm is known as Tahan serdang, or as daun tau.
Phoenicophorium, the thief palm, is a monotypic genus of flowering plant in the family Arecaceae. The sole species is Phoenicophorium borsigianum.
Korthalsia is a clustering genus of flowering plant in the palm family spread throughout Southeast Asia. It is a highly specialized rattan with some species known to have an intimate relationship with ants, hence the common name ant rattan. High-climbing and armed with spines, the genus is named for the Dutch botanist P. W. Korthals who first collected them from Indonesia.
Lytocaryum is a monoecious genus of flowering plant in the palm family endemic to the Atlantic coast of Brazil, where 4 species are known. Palms once classified as Microcoelum are herein included; the genus is closely related to Syagrus, from which it is differentiated only by abundant tomentum, strongly versatile anthers, and slight epicarp, mesocarp, and endocarp differences. The name is Greek for "loose" and "nut".
Myrialepis is a monotypic genus of flowering plant in the palm family, the single species, Myrialepis paradoxa, native to Southeast Asia. The genus name is a combination of the Greek words meaning "innumerable" and "scale", a description of the fruit, and the epithet is Latin for "paradox".
Balaka insularis is a rare species of flowering plant in the palm family endemic to Samoa. It was formerly placed in the monotypic genus Solfia with the species name Solfia samoensis. It was placed in the genus Balaka in 2014.
Roystonea lenis is a species of palm which is endemic to Guantánamo Province in eastern Cuba.
Aiphanes deltoidea is a species of palm which is native to northeastern South America.
Aiphanes bicornis is a species of small, pinnately leaved palm which is endemic to Ecuador. First described in 2004 and known from only two locations, the species name refers to the deeply notched tips of its leaflets, which resemble a pair of horns.
Aiphanes eggersii, known locally as corozo, is a species of spiney, pinnately leaved palm which is native to the coastal plain of Ecuador and adjacent dry forests of Peru.
Sabinaria magnifica is a species of palm tree and the only member of the genus Sabinaria. Native to the Darién Gap on the border between Colombia and Panama, it grows from 1 to 6 metres tall with large, deeply-divided leaf blades. It has been described as "striking", "spectacular" and "beautiful" by taxonomists.
