Syagrus lorenzoniorum Noblick & Lorenzi (2010b: 23)

Noblick, Larry R., 2017, A revision of the genus Syagrus (Arecaceae), Phytotaxa 294 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

36. Syagrus lorenzoniorum Noblick & Lorenzi (2010b: 23) . Type:— BRAZIL. Espirito Santo, São Gabriel da Palha , collected in Corrego Comprido, Sítio Pedro Castela, 200 m, –19.03, –40.49, 22 June 2008, R. Tsuji, H. Lorenzi, L.R. Noblick et al. 2713 (holotype HPL!, isotypes FTG!, K!, NY!, RB!, SP!)

Figures 52–53 plates, Figure 49 map.

Moderately-sized, solitary palm. Stem 2–4 m × 9–16 cm (up to 6–7 m in better soil), caulescent, erect, ringed, with a slightly ventricose stem, self-cleaning with no persistent leaf bases. Leaves strongly ascending, slightly arched, 7–17 in the crown, 1.5–2.5 m long; sheath (28–) 40–70 cm long, with dark chestnut-brown fibrous margins or a fabric matting of the same fibers; pseudopetiole 15–50 cm long, with fibrous margins; petiole nearly always absent to less than 2 × 2–2.5 cm; rachis (90–) 160–270 cm long; leaflets linear, rigid, concolorous, medium green to slightly paler on the lower surface, with acute apex, 55–123 leaflets along each side of the rachis, distributed irregularly in clusters of 2–4(–6), inserted in one plane or forming a V, ramenta scales or tomentum present where the leaflets are inserted on the rachis and also along the abaxial midvein; basal leaflets 28–52 × 0.3–0.8 cm, middle leaflets 30–56 × 2.1–4.0 cm, apical leaflets 10–19 × 0.3–0.6 cm. Inflorescence spirally branched; prophyll 34–57 × 3–4.5 cm; peduncular bract 80–160 cm long, expanded part 40–80 × 4–10 cm; peduncle 60–110 cm long; inflorescence axis (26–) 33–51 cm long; rachis 17–24 cm long; rachillae 25–47, (5–) 11–40 cm long; staminate flowers 9–13 × 3–5 mm, sepals 1.0–1.3 × 0.5 mm, glabrous with no distinct venation, petals 8–10 × 3 mm with acute

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NOBLICK A REVISION OF THE GENUS SYAGRUS

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NOBLICK tips, nerves indistinct to slightly raised at the base, stamens 5 mm long, anthers 4.0– 4.5 mm long, filaments 2 mm long; basal pistillate flowers elongate conical, ca. 8 × 4 mm at the apex, ca. 11–15 × 5–8 mm at the base, glabrous, sepals 10–13 × 3–5 mm, indistinctly keeled, obscurely veined only at the tip, petals 8–13 × 3–6 mm, glabrous with no visible venation, valvate tips ¼–1/3 the length of the petal, ca. 2–4 mm long, pistil 5–8 × 2–4 mm, glabrous or with a thin indument, stigmas 3–5 mm long, glabrous, staminodal ring ca. 1–1.5 mm high, 6-dentate. Fruit globose to oblong, 2.5–3.0 × 2.5–2.8 cm, yellowish-green when mature, mostly covered with a fine lepidote, mostly on the apical portion, epicarp less than 0.5 mm thick, covered with brownish fibers or lepidote, yellowish-green to orange-brown when mature, mesocarp thickness not measured, fibrous and not particularly succulent; endocarp nearly globose, 2.4–2.8 × 2.4–2.6 cm, 3–4 mm thick; seed nearly globose, 1.0– 1.1 cm in diameter with a large central cavity, endosperm homogeneous. Germination remote-tubular.

Common name:— licuri, côco-de-quaresma, côco-de-quarta, coco-de-quarta-mirim.

Etymology:— This palm is named for the Lorenzoni family of the state of Espirito Santo, who first brought the differences of this palm to the attention of Harri Lorenzi and, after much persistence, finally convinced him that it was new.

Distribution and habitat:— This species occurs in northern Espírito Santo and southern Bahia, Brazil, on the top and steep sides of rock monoliths in thin soils. In Bahia, populations of this palm have been seen west of Guaratinga growing with bromeliads and other rock-loving plants. The main population occurs in Espirito Santo, but it extends northward into Bahia, in a disjunct manner, spreading from one monolith or inselberg to another.

It is not commonly collected because it is a rather inaccessible plant, growing only on steep slopes and the tops of the large granitic rock outcrops that characterize the Serra do Mar. Soil on these geological formations is very thin and almost non-existent, but the species is rarely found in deeper soils. Syagrus lorenzoniorum grows in a habitat of higher rainfall that might well be considered campo rupestre, but located within the Atlantic coastal rain forest of eastern Brazil. In Guaratinga, the lower slopes of these mountains were used to cultivate cacao.

Conservation:— This species grows only on inaccessible rock outcrops with little soil in areas of no agricultural value. It is not threatened. Perhaps its only threat would be fire. It is classified as least concern, LC.

Phenology:— This palm species likely flowers and fruits year around. The author has seen it with flowers and fruit maturing in February, and he has recorded it flowering with a few mature fruits in June. Fruits were also recorded in late spring (November) and the beginning of summer (December to February). The seeds germinate with relative ease in 2–3 months.

Uses:— The fruits have an edible mesocarp. The palm has some notable ornamental attributes, due to its medium size and the texture of it leaves and can be used in landscaping.

Notes:— This species has been confused with S. picrophylla , but there are clear differences between them. Both S. picrophylla and S. lorenzoniorum are rock-loving palms. Syagrus lorenzoniorum has a slightly swollen trunk and a long pendulous inflorescence with a narrow peduncular bract. Its fruit and endocarp are globose vs. ellipsoid in S. picrophylla , it has no or very little petiole (0–2 vs. ca. 13 cm) and ramenta on the underside of the leaflet veins. This palm is referred to as Syagrus sp. nov. 2 in Palmeiras Brasileiras (Lorenzi 2004).

Representative specimens:— BRAZIL. Bahia: Bahia, Guaratinga, 5 km a W da cidade, 350 m, –16.57, – 39.57, 22 January 1989, L.R. Noblick 4765 (CEPEC!, F!, K!); Espirito Santo: Linhares, 60 m, –19.39, –40.07, 18 December 2011, D.A. Folli 6837 (CVRD); São Gabriel da Palha , na região de Corrego Comprido, no sítio de Pedro Castelão, 300 m, –19.03, –40.49, 12 February 2009, H. Lorenzi et al. 6630 (HPL!); Santa Tereza, 7.6 km cidade/ Sao Roque. Rio 5 Novembro prox. igreja S.Marcos, –19.94, –40.60, 8 May 1987, H.Q. Boudet Fernandes 2088 (CEPEC!, IPA!, MBL); Santa Teresa, Rio 5 de Novembro, alto da encosta voltada para N/NE, –19.94, –40.60, 23 July 1987, H.Q. Boudet Fernandes 2175 (CEPEC, IPA!, RB); Santa Teresa, Rio Cinco de Novembro, ca. 5 km N of town on the road to Colatina, –19.83, –40.67, 450–500 m, 5 May 1992, H. Q. Boudet Fernandez & L.R. Noblick 3081 (FTG!, K!, MBML!, NY!, VIES!); Santa Teresa, Vale do Canaã, –19.91, –40.60, 8 July 2005, A.P. Fontana 1522 (MBML); Santa Teresa, Cachoeira do Strut, –19.83, –40.73, 23 September 2005, L. Kollmann 8438 (MBML); Tiradente, nas proximidades da cidade, Sentido Valério, 26 January 2007, R. Tsuji et al. 1567 (HPL!).

Figures

FIGURE 49. Distribution maps of Syagrus lilliputiana, S. loefgrenii, S. longipedunculata, S. lorenzoniorum, S. macrocarpa, S. mendanhensis, S. menzeliana, S. microphylla and S. minor.

FIGURE 52. Syagrus lorenzoniorum. A. Habit. B. Leaf. C. Leaflets. D. Inflorescence. E. Portion of a primary branch with flowers. F– G. Pistillate flowers. H–I. Staminate flowers. J. Primary branch of an infructescence. K–M. Fruit side, basal and apical view. N–O. Endocarp basal view showing pores and cross-section showing interior cavity and homogeneous endosperm. A–D drawn from images taken by L. Noblick, E–L drawn from Tsuji et al. 2713. All scales are in centimeters except A, which is in meters, and B and D, which are in decimeters. Drawn by Wes Jurgens. Drawn by Wes Jurgens.

FIGURE 53. Syagrus lorenzoniorum. A. Habit near São Gabriel da Palha, Espirito Santo (Tsuji et al. 2713). B. Infructescence and inflorescence with long peduncle and long, narrow peduncular bract. C. Stem showing swollen or ventricose trunk. D. Fruit showing mesocarp and exposed endocarp. E. Endocarp base and apex. F. Flowers. Pistillate flower on top left followed by two staminate flowers and on the right is a pistil with one petal still attached, two petals and three sepals of the pistillate flower. G. Ramenta on abaxial side of leaflets. H. Cross-section of endocarp showing homogenous endosperm with central cavity. I. Apex of fruit. J. Base of fruit. Grid of E is 0.5 cm. Grid of F is 1 cm. Image F by Harri Lorenzi.