Coccothrinax borhidiana Muñiz

Henderson, Andrew, 2023, A revision of Coccothrinax, Hemithrinax, Leucothrinax, Thrinax, and Zombia (Arecaceae), Phytotaxa 614 (1), pp. 1-115 : 38-39

1.7. Coccothrinax borhidiana Muñiz in Borhidi, Imchanitskaya & Muñiz (1978: 437). Lectotype (designated by Moya 2021):— CUBA. Matanzas, Punta Seburoco inter Jibacoa y Matanzas, 14 May 1970, O. Muñiz 27118 (holotype HAC!, isotype BP n.v., BP image!). Plate 7

Stems length not recorded, 14.0 cm diameter, solitary. Leaves persistent, giving a ‘skirt’ of dead leaves covering the stem; leaf sheath fibers 0.5(0.4–0.6) mm diameter, thin, flimsy, loosely woven, free and greatly elongate at the apices; petioles 16.4(15.2–18.2) mm diameter just below the apex; palmans 19.8(18.0–21.5) cm long, relatively short, with the adaxial veins prominent and terminating in a slight raised ridge and distinct pulvinus; leaf blades not wedge-shaped; segments 34–35 per leaf, the middle ones 58.6(52.0–62.5) cm long and 3.7(3.0–4.5) cm wide; segments not pendulous at the apices, giving the leaf a flat appearance; middle leaf segments relatively short and broad, abruptly narrowed (shoulder) toward the apex, otherwise parallel-sided, often strongly folded, stiff and leathery, the apices briefly splitting; middle leaf segment apices attenuate; leaf segments not waxy or sometimes with a deciduous, thin layer of wax adaxially; leaf segments densely indumentose abaxially, with irregularly shaped, persistent, interlocking, fimbriate hairs, each one with a rounded, raised, light green to greenish-brown center, without transverse veinlets. Inflorescences erect, at least initially, amongst or above the leaves, with few partial inflorescences; rachis bracts narrow, closely sheathing, sparsely tomentose, usually without hairs at the apex; partial inflorescences 5; proximalmost rachillae straight, 9.2(7.0–15.0) cm long and 1.1(1.0–1.2) mm diameter in fruit; rachillae at or near anthesis not recorded; stamens 8; fruit pedicels 2.8(2.2–3.2) mm long; fruits 6.2(5.8–6.5) mm long and 7.1(6.3–8.0) mm diameter, black; fruit surfaces smooth or sometimes with projecting fibers; seeds not recorded.

Distribution and habitat:— Cuba (Matanzas) ( Fig. 10 ), open areas on sandy or rocky soils near the sea at 7 m elevation. Craft (2017) described the habitat as littoral scrub forest on dog’s tooth limestone.

Taxonomic notes:— As a preliminary species, Coccothrinax borhidiana has a unique combination of qualitative character states and is recognized as a phylogenetic species. It appears similar to C. crinita in its elongate sheath fibers, differing in its persistent leaves, giving a ‘skirt’ of dead leaves covering the stem and smaller fruits. Petioles are relatively short, hence the compact crown of leaves.

Figures

PLATE 7. Coccothrinax borhidiana, Cuba, with stems covered with persistent dead leaves, giving a ‘skirt’ of dead leaves, and short petioles giving a compact crown of leaves. (Image by Héctor M. Díaz).

FIGURE 10. Distribution of Coccothrinax baracoensis, C. bonettiana, C. borhidiana, and C. boschiana.