Pinanga subterranea

Pinanga subterranea
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Clade:	Commelinids
Order:	Arecales
Family:	Arecaceae
Genus:	Pinanga
Species:	P. subterranea
Binomial name
Pinanga subterranea Randi & W.J.Baker [1]
P. subterranea distribution [2]

Pinanga subterranea is a species of tree in the Arecaceae, or palm tree, family native to Borneo. ^{[2] [3]} It is widespread in the west of the island, where local communities use it for food. ^[4]

Botany

The species in found in lowland forest valleys 650 metres above sea level and on slopes near streams. It grows well in chalky, red or sandy clay soils. ^[2]

Ecology

Pollination

P. subterranea has a highly unusual reproductive strategy. Its subterranean flowers are pollinated beneath the surface. The seeds are dispersed by wild boars, which dig into the ground to reach the fruit. ^[5] Plants that can flower and bear fruit underground at the same time are rare, with only P. subterranea and orchid genus Rhizanthella can do both of these . ^[4]

References

1. "Pinanga subterranea". International Plant Names Index. n.d. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
2. Randi, Agusti; Petoe, Peter; Kuhnhäuser, Benedikt G.; Chai, Paul P. K.; Bellot, Sidone; Baker, William J. (2023). "Pinanga subterranea, a New Arecoid Palm from Borneo that Flowers Underground". Palms. 67 (2): 57–63.
3. Kuhnhäuser, Benedikt G.; Randi, Agusti; Petoe, Peter; Chai, Paul P. K.; Bellot, Sidonie; Baker, William J. (26 June 2023). "Hiding in plain sight: The underground palm Pinanga subterranea". Plants, People, Planet. 5 (6): 815–820. Bibcode:2023PlPP....5..815K. doi: 10.1002/ppp3.10393 . S2CID   259670658.
4. Caton, Emma (7 July 2023). "New species of palm found to flower and fruit underground". The Natural History Museum . Retrieved 3 December 2023.
5. "Hidden in plain sight: Rare palm species that flowers underground discovered as new-to-science in Borneo". Kew Gardens (Press release). 27 June 2023.

Further reading

• Green, Graeme (26 June 2023). "'Mind-boggling' palm that flowers and fruits underground thrills scientists". The Guardian.
• Ives, Mike; Nindita, Hasya (20 January 2024). "A Plant That Flowers Underground Is New to Science, but Not to Borneo". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 January 2024.