Zombia

Last updated

Zombia
Zombia antillarum.jpg
Zombia antillarum at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota, Florida, United States
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Arecales
Family: Arecaceae
Subfamily: Coryphoideae
Tribe: Cryosophileae
Genus: Zombia
L.H. Bailey
Species:
Z. antillarum
Binomial name
Zombia antillarum
Synonyms [2]

Chamaerops antillarumDesc.
Coccothrinax anomala Becc.
Oothrinax anomala(Becc.) O.F.Cook
Zombia antillarum var. gonzalezii J.Jiménez Alm.

Contents

Zombia antillarum, commonly known as the zombie palm, is a species of palm tree and the only member of the genus Zombia. It is endemic to the island of Hispaniola (both the Dominican Republic and Haiti) in the Greater Antilles. Usually found in dry, hilly areas of northern and southern Haiti and the northwest of the Dominican Republic, Z. antillarum is a relatively short fan palm with clustered stems and a very distinctive appearance caused by its persistent spiny leaf sheaths. Threatened by habitat destruction in Haiti, Z. antillarum is a popular ornamental species due to its distinctive appearance, low maintenance requirements and salt tolerance.

Description

Details of the stem of Zombia antillarum showing persistent, spiny leaf sheaths. Zombia stem detail.jpg
Details of the stem of Zombia antillarum showing persistent, spiny leaf sheaths.

Zombia antillarum is a small palm which grows in dense, multi-stemmed clumps with stems up to 3 metres (10 ft) tall and 5 centimetres (2 in) in diameter. Individuals bear nine to 12 fan-shaped (or palmate) leaves which are greyish-white on the lower surface. [3] The leaf sheaths remain attached to the stem after the leaf drops off. The intervening tissue gradually degrades, and the woody vascular tissue splits, forming the spines which are characteristic of the species. [4]

The inflorescence, which is shorter than the leaves, bears bisexual flowers with 9–12 stamens and a single carpel. Fruit are white in colour [3] (although orange-fruited individuals are also known to exist), [5] [6] oblong or pear-shaped, 1.5–2 cm (0.6–0.8 in) in diameter and bear a single seed. The flowers and fruit are borne among the leaves due to the fact that the inflorescences are shorter than the leaves. [3] Trees can produce 5000 seeds per year, predominantly in July and August. [6]

The species is believed to be wind pollinated. [7]

Taxonomy

Descourtilz's original illustration of Zombia antillarum from Flore medicale des Antilles, 1821 Zombia.jpg
Descourtilz's original illustration of Zombia antillarum from Flore médicale des Antilles, 1821

Zombia is a monotypic genus: it includes only one species, Z. antillarum. The earliest description of the species is found in the work of French physician and botanist Michel Étienne Descourtilz. In 1821 he placed it in the genus Chamaerops as C. antillarum. [8] Italian naturalist Odoardo Beccari independently described the species in 1908, placing it in the genus Coccothrinax (as C. anomala). Recognising that it was distinct enough to be placed in its own genus, American botanist Liberty Hyde Bailey erected the genus Zombia in 1931 to accommodate the species that Descourtilz had described. This generated the combination Z. antillarum. In selecting a name for the genus, Bailey noted that

"it would be preferable if this endemic palm could bear a Latin name indicative of its nativity rather than an exotic binomial of no relation with its country and the people". [6]

In 1941, another American botanist, Orator F. Cook, moved Beccari's C. anomala to a new genus, Oothrinax. This generated a fourth combination, O. anomala. Since Descourtilz's description pre-dates that of Beccari, Zombia antillarum (which is based on Descourtilz's description) has priority over Oothrinax anomala. In addition, Cook's name is invalid, since it was never formally described. [9]

In the first edition of Genera Palmarum (1987), Natalie Uhl and John Dransfield placed the genus in subfamily Coryphoideae, tribe Corypheae and subtribe Thrinacinae [10] using Harold E. Moore's 1973 classification of the palm family. [11] Subsequent phylogenetic analyses showed that the Old World and New World members of the Thrinacinae were not closely related. As a result, Zombia and related genera were places in their own tribe, Cryosophileae. [12] Within this tribe, Zombia appears to be most closely related to the genera Coccothrinax and Hemithrinax , and the species Thrinax morrisii, with the remainder of the genus Thrinax being a sister taxon to this group. [13] Because of this, T. morrisii was moved to a new genus, Leucothrinax . [14]

In 1960, Dominican botanist José de Jesús Jiménez Almonte described a variety of Z. antillarum, which was distinguished from the typical variety by its smaller, pear-shaped fruits with a "dirty yellow" colour. He named this variety Z. antillarum var. gonzalezii. [5] More recent workers have not considered this form distinctive enough to maintain it as a distinct variety. [2]

Evolutionary history

Cryosophileae  

Trithrinax

Itaya

Sabinaria

Chelyocarpus

Cryosophila

Schippia

Thrinax

Leucothrinax

Hemithrinax

Zombia

Coccothrinax

Simplified phylogeny of the Cryosophileae based on four nuclear genes and the matK plastid gene. [15]

Ángela Cano and collaborators concluded that the ancestors of the Cryosophileae and its sister taxon, the tribe Sabaleae probably evolved in North America during the late Cretaceous and dispersed to South America by the Eocene before re-invading North and Central America during the Oligocene. They concluded that it was more probable that the ancestors of Zombia colonised the Caribbean from North or Central America rather than from South America. [15]

Common names

Zombia antillarum is called the Zombie palm [16] [17] or Zombi palm [6] by horticulturists. Orator F. Cook coined the name "Haitian cactus palm" due to the spiny appearance of its trunk. In Haiti, it is usually known as latanye zombi (latanier zombi in French; the zombie fan palm), or latanye pikan, (latanier piquant in French, the spiny fan palm). It is also called latanier savanne or latanier marron. Latanye or latanier is a common term for fan palms in Haiti, so these names ("savanna fan palm" and "wild fan palm") are not specific to this species; they are also used for several species of Coccothrinax . In the Dominican Republic, the species is called guanito or guanillo. These are diminutives of guano, which is used for several species of Coccothrinax and Thrinax . [6] In his 1821 description of the species, Descourtilz used the name latanier épineux. [8]

Distribution

Base of the stem of Zombia antillarum showing stem sprouts. Zombia stem base.jpg
Base of the stem of Zombia antillarum showing stem sprouts.

Zombia antillarum is endemic to the island of Hispaniola. In northern Haiti, it grows along the tributaries of the Trois Rivières between Gros-Morne and Port-de-Paix, while in the south, it is found along the eastern edge of the Massif de la Hotte, between Miragoâne, Fond-des-Nègres and Fond-des-Blancs. The species also occurs in northwestern parts of the Dominican Republic, between Dajabón, Jarabacoa, the Sierra de Yamasá, Puerto Plata and Gaspar Hernández. It grows in dry, hilly regions at low elevation, usually on slopes and ridges, but is generally absent from valley bottoms. In the Dominican Republic, it is found from sea level up to 450 metres (1,480 ft) above sea level. Zombia antillarum is associated with serpentine soils, but is also found on calcareous soils. In Haiti, Z. antillarum grows in association with a variety of other palms, including Coccothrinax argentea , Bactris plumeriana , Roystonea borinquena , Sabal causiarum and S. domingensis . In the Dominican Republic, it grows in association with Pinus occidentalis , Calyptronoma rivalis , R. borinquena, S. domingensis, Copernicia berteroana and C. argentea. [6]

Conservation status

Although listed as "not threatened" in the 2006 IUCN Red List, a 2007 review of the status of West Indian palms classified Zombia antillarum as vulnerable, based on a projected loss of 10% of the population over the next century. [18] In Haiti especially, the species is threatened by habitat destruction when land is cleared for agriculture. Seedlings can also be destroyed when browsed by livestock. [6] The 2016 Dominican Republic Vascular Plant Red List considered Z. antillarum to be Critically Endangered in the country using the IUCN Red List's ranking system. [19]

Uses

The plant is a popular ornamental, [3] and is valued for its unusual appearance, low maintenance requirements, small stature and salt tolerance. [16] It is recommended for low-maintenance landscaping in South Florida. [17] Leaves of Z. antillarum are used to weave hats, make brooms [3] and the seeds, which have a protein content of 2.8–4.9%, are used to feed pigs. [6] South of Sabaneta in the Dominican Republic, the petioles are reportedly "used to mix manioc flour for making cassava bread." [6]

In 1821, Michel Étienne Descourtilz reported that the wood was used for snuff boxes and tobacco cases, that the kernel of the seed was used to treat scurvy, and that the sap had been used by Taino Amerindians "for its powerful properties". [6]

Fabienne Boncy Taylor and Joel C. Timyan explored the connection between the "zombie palm" and beliefs about zombies. They found that oil extracted from the seeds has been described as a "sense-activator" by one ethnographic source and can be used to "awaken" a zombie, and that a dwelling with thatch made from the leaves of the plant could prevent zombies from being used to spy on its occupants. Other sources, however, were reportedly unaware of these uses. Taylor and Timyan concluded that

"we were able to find a link, albeit weak, between the name Zombia and Haitian culture, even though we could not verify that this species is typically associated with zombies". [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arecaceae</span> Family of food and ornamental plants

The Arecaceae is a family of perennial, flowering plants in the monocot order Arecales. Their growth form can be climbers, shrubs, tree-like and stemless plants, all commonly known as palms. Those having a tree-like form are called palm trees. Currently, 181 genera with around 2,600 species are known, most of which are restricted to tropical and subtropical climates. Most palms are distinguished by their large, compound, evergreen leaves, known as fronds, arranged at the top of an unbranched stem. However, palms exhibit an enormous diversity in physical characteristics and inhabit nearly every type of habitat within their range, from rainforests to deserts.

<i>Livistona</i> Genus of palms

Livistona is a genus of palms, the botanical family Arecaceae, native to southeastern and eastern Asia, Australasia, and the Horn of Africa. They are fan palms, the leaves with an armed petiole terminating in a rounded, costapalmate fan of numerous leaflets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fan palm</span> Index of plants with the same common name

Fan palm as a descriptive term can refer to any of several different kinds of palms (Arecaceae) in various genera with leaves that are palmately lobed. Most are members of the subfamily Coryphoideae, though a few genera in subfamily Calamoideae also have palmate leaves. Fan palm genera include:

<i>Coccothrinax</i> Genus of palms

Coccothrinax is a genus of palms in the family Arecaceae. There are more than 50 species described in the genus, plus many synonyms and subspecies. A new species was described as recently as 2017. Many Coccothrinax produce thatch. In Spanish-speaking countries, guano is a common name applied to Coccothrinax palms. The species are native throughout the Caribbean, the Bahamas, extreme southern Florida and southeastern Mexico, but most of the species are known only from Cuba.

<i>Thrinax</i> Genus of palms

Thrinax is a genus in the palm family, native to the Caribbean. It is closely related to the genera Coccothrinax, Hemithrinax and Zombia. Flowers are small, bisexual and are borne on small stalks.

<i>Attalea crassispatha</i> Species of palm

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.

<i>Chelyocarpus</i> Genus of palms

Chelyocarpus is a genus of small to medium-sized fan palms which are native to northwestern South America. Some are upright trees, while others creep along the ground. Species are used for thatch, to weave hats, stuff pillows and as a source of salt.

<i>Cryosophila</i> Genus of palms

Cryosophila is a genus of medium-sized fan palms that range from central Mexico to northern Colombia. Species in the genus can be readily distinguished from related genera by their distinctive downward-pointing spines on the stem, which are actually modified roots. They are known as the "root spine palms".

<i>Itaya</i> Species of plant

Itaya amicorum is a medium-size fan palm that is native to Brazil, Colombia and Peru. It is the only species in the genus Itaya. It was unknown to science until 1972, when it was discovered on the bank of the Itaya River in the Peruvian Amazon.

<i>Schippia</i> Genus of palms

Schippia concolor, the mountain pimento or silver pimeto, is a medium-sized palm species that is native to Belize and Guatemala. Named for its discoverer, Australian botanist William A. Schipp, the species is threatened by habitat loss. It is the sole species in the genus Schippia.

<i>Coccothrinax ekmanii</i> Species of palm

Coccothrinax ekmanii, also known in Haitian Creole as gwenn or in Dominican Spanish as palma de guano, is an endangered species of palm which is endemic to the island of Hispaniola.

<i>Sabal domingensis</i> Species of plant

Sabal domingensis, the Hispaniola palmetto, is a species of palm which is native to Hispaniola and Cuba.

<i>Leucothrinax</i> Genus of palms

Leucothrinax morrisii, the Key thatch palm, is a small palm which is native to the Greater Antilles, northern Lesser Antilles, The Bahamas and Florida and the Florida Keys in the United States.

<i>Sabal causiarum</i> Species of plant

Sabal causiarum, commonly known as the Puerto Rico palmetto or Puerto Rican hat palm, is a species of palm which is native to Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and the British Virgin Islands. As its common and scientific names suggest, its leaves are used in the manufacture of "straw" hats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coryphoideae</span> Subfamily of palms

The Coryphoideae is one of five subfamilies in the palm family, Arecaceae. It contains all of the genera with palmate leaves, excepting Mauritia, Mauritiella and Lepidocaryum, all of subfamily Calamoideae, tribe Lepidocaryeae, subtribe Mauritiinae. However, all Coryphoid palm leaves have induplicate (V-shaped) leaf folds, while Calamoid palms have reduplicate leaf folds. Pinnate leaves do occur in Coryphoideae, in Phoenix, Arenga, Wallichia and bipinnate in Caryota.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cryosophileae</span> Tribe of palms

Cryosophileae is a tribe of palms in the subfamily Coryphoideae. The tribe ranges from southern South America, through Central America, into Mexico and the Caribbean. It includes New World genera formerly included in the tribe Thrinacinae, which was split after molecular phylogenetic studies showed that Old World and New World members of the tribe were not closely related.

<i>Thrinax radiata</i> Species of palm

Thrinax radiata, also known as the Florida thatch palm, is a medium to slow growing palm in the family Arecaceae. It is native to many Caribbean islands, Mexico, Central America, and far southern Florida. Its natural habitat is sandy, calcareous soil in coastal areas.

Coccothrinax jimenezii is a fan palm which is endemic to the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. First formally described in 2013, the species is only known from two small populations, and is considered critically endangered.

References

  1. ↑ Timyan, J. 2023. Zombia antillarum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2023: e.T201658A2711162. Accessed on 13 December 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Zombia antillarum". Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Retrieved 2009-03-17.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Henderson, Andrew; Galeano, Gloria; Bernal, Rodrigo (1995). Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. pp. 50–51. ISBN   978-0-691-08537-1.
  4. ↑ Tomlinson, P.B. (1990). The Structural Biology of Palms. Oxford University Press. pp. 239–240. ISBN   978-0-19-854572-9.
  5. 1 2 Jiménez, José de Js. (1960). "Novelties in the Dominican Flora". Rhodora. 62 (741): 235–238.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Taylor, Fabienne Boncy; Joel C. Timyan (2004). "Notes on Zombia antillarum". Economic Botany. 58 (2): 173–183. doi:10.1663/0013-0001(2004)058[0179:NOEP]2.0.CO;2. S2CID   13464985.
  7. ↑ Uhl, Natalie W.; Moore, Harold E. Jr. (1977). "Correlations of Inflorescence, Flower Structure, and Floral Anatomy with Pollination in Some Palms". Biotropica. 9 (3): 170–190. doi:10.2307/2387879. JSTOR   2387879.
  8. 1 2 Descourtilz, M.E. (1821). Flore médicale des Antilles, ou, Traité des plantes usuelles: des colonies Françaises, Anglaises, Espagnoles et Portugaises.
  9. ↑ "Oothrinax anomala (Becc.) O. F. Cook, nom. inval". Germplasm Resources Information Network . Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture . Retrieved 2009-03-18.
  10. ↑ Uhl, Natalie E.; John Dransfield (1987). Genera Palmarum: a classification of palms based on the work of Harold E. Moore Jr. Lawrence, Kansas: The L. H. Bailey Hortorium and the International Palm Society.
  11. ↑ Moore, H.E. (1973). "The Major Groups of Palms and Their Distribution". Gentes Herbarum. 11: 27–140.
  12. ↑ Dransfield, John; Natalie W. Uhl; Conny B. Asmussen; William J. Baker; Madeline M. Harley; Carl E. Lewis (2005). "A New Phylogenetic Classification of the Palm Family, Arecaceae". Kew Bulletin. 60 (4): 559–69. JSTOR   25070242.
  13. ↑ Roncal, Julissa; Scott Zona; Carl E. Lewis (2008). "Molecular Phylogenetic Studies of Caribbean Palms (Arecaceae) and Their Relationships to Biogeography and Conservation". Botanical Review. 74 (1): 78–102. doi:10.1007/s12229-008-9005-9. S2CID   40119059.
  14. ↑ Lewis, Carl E.; Scott Zona (2008). "Leucothrinax morrisii, a new name for a familiar Caribbean palm". Palms. 52 (2): 84–88.
  15. 1 2 Cano, Ángela; Bacon, Christine D.; Stauffer, Fred W.; Antonelli, Alexandre; Serrano‐Serrano, Martha L.; Perret, Mathieu (2018). "The roles of dispersal and mass extinction in shaping palm diversity across the Caribbean". Journal of Biogeography. 45 (6): 1432–1443. doi:10.1111/jbi.13225. ISSN   1365-2699. S2CID   90347155.
  16. 1 2 Corman, Murray J. (1999). "Landscape Palms Available for the New Millennium" (PDF). Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society. 112: 251–252. Retrieved 2013-04-24.
  17. 1 2 Haynes, Jody; John McLaughlin; Laura Vasquez; Adrian Hunsberger (2004). "Low-Maintenance Landscape Plants for South Florida". Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (ENH854). Retrieved 2009-03-18.
  18. ↑ Zona, Scott; Raúl Verdecia; Angela Leiva Sánchez; Carl E. Lewis; Mike Maunder (2007). "The conservation status of West Indian palms (Arecaceae)". Oryx. 41 (3): 300–05. doi: 10.1017/S0030605307000404 .
  19. ↑ García, R., Peguero, B., Jiménez, F., Veloz, A. and Clase, T. 2016. Lista Roja de la Flora Vascular en República Dominicana.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.