Syagrus macrocarpa

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

37. Syagrus macrocarpa Barbosa Rodrigues (1879: 46). Type:— BRAZIL. Rio de Janeiro: in forests of upper valley of Rio Parahyba in Rio de Janeiro (holotype destroyed). Lectotype (designated by Glassman [1972b: 213]):— Barbosa Rodrigues (1903a) volume 1, t. 85–86, 1903a

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Cocos procopiana Glaz. ex Drude (1881: 412) . Calappa procopiana (Glaz. ex Drude) Kuntze (1891: 982) . Type:— BRAZIL. Rio de Janeiro: cult. Horto Publico, Rio de Janeiro, Glaziou 9015 (holotype C, isotypes K!, P!).

Cocos getuliana Bondar (1941: 35) . Syagrus getuliana (Bondar) Glassman (1963: 260) . Lectotype (designated by Glassman [1987: 93]):— BRAZIL. Espirito Santo: São Mateus, 1941 , G. Bondar s.n. (F! [F-620823]), cf. Glassman (1972b: 91).

Figure 54 plate, Figure 49 map.

Medium-sized, solitary palm. Stem ca. 4–10 m × 10–20 cm, columnar, erect, smooth. Leaves 15–20; sheathing leaf base ca. 80–90 × 14–18 cm; pseudopetiole 75–135 cm long; petiole 17–25(–43) × 2.5 cm, 0.8–1.0 cm thick; rachis 122–133 cm long; leaflets slightly lighter on the abaxial surface, 90–153 along one side, in clusters of 3–5(– 8), inserted at various angles, giving the leaf a plumose appearance, no ramenta scales or tomentum present where the leaflets are inserted on the rachis, a few small to many ramenta along the abaxial midvein; basal leaflets 42–57 × 0.6–0.8 cm, middle leaflets 29–70 × (0.8–) 2.3–3 cm, apical leaflets 11–23 × 0.1–0.7 cm with an asymmetric tip. Inflorescence erect to pendulous, unilaterally branched; prophyll 30–46 × ca. 5 cm; peduncular bract 70–120 cm, expanded portion 37–75 × 10–29 cm, including a 1–1.5(–4) cm beak, 11–31 cm perimeter, 3–4 mm thickness, narrow, woody, sulcate, exterior with waxy coating; peduncle ca. 30–60 × 1.5–2.8(–3.5) cm, ca. 1.3 cm thick, elliptical in cross-section, tomentose; inflorescence axis 42–80 cm long; rachis 25–50 cm long, glabrous; rachillae 23–80, glabrous, 10–25 cm long at the apex, 15–43 cm long at the base; staminate flowers ca. 9 mm long at the apex, 10–16 × 3–7 mm at the base, green to yellow, sepals 1–2 × 1.5–2 mm, glabrous, no visible nerves, petals 7 mm long at the apex, 10–16 × 1.5–4.5 mm at the base with acute tips, glabrous, nerves indistinct, stamens 4–5 mm long, anthers 2.5–4.5 mm long, filaments 2–3 mm long, pistillode less than 0.5 mm long; basal pistillate flowers pyramidal to elongate conical, 22–30(–35) × 7–15 mm, yellow, glabrous, sepals 22–31 × 6–9(–12) mm, glabrous, no venation, strongly keeled, petals 17–29 × 6–9(–12) mm, glabrous with prominently raised veins, valvate tips ca. ½ of the petal length, ca. 3–4.5 mm long, pistil 12–13 × 4–5 mm, tomentose at the very base, stigmas less than 5– 7(–9) mm long, glabrous, staminodal ring ca. 2 mm high, 6-dentate. Fruit narrowly ellipsoid, 6.5–9 × 3–45 cm, yellowish green when mature, mostly glabrous (occasionally white tomentose at apex), epicarp less than 0.5 mm thick, mesocarp 4–5 mm thick, succulent and fibrous; endocarp ca. (3.5–)4.5–6.5 × 1.8–2.6 cm, (4–) 5–7 mm thick on the sides, 10–13 mm thick at the ends; seed narrowly ellipsoid, ca. 30–40(–60) × 10–15 mm, endosperm homogeneous. Germination remote-tubular.

Common name:— maria-rosa, mari-rosa, baba-de-boi-grande, jurua, arioba, haryroba.

Etymology:— The specific epithet, macrocarpa , refers to the large fruits of this species, which are up to 9 cm long.

Distribution and habitat:— Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais, Brazil, rare to occasional in the transitional zone of the Atlantic forest to ca. 900 m. It is found from the states of Rio de Janeiro and Espirito Santo (i.e. São Mateus ) to as far north as Turmelina, Minas Gerais.

Conservation:— This species is widely distributed, but never in large numbers. It often occurs as widely scattered palms and is difficult to germinate and slow growing. Its habitats are usually rocky and cleared and burned for pasture. The frequent burning is the enemy of the seedlings, so there is little recruitment. There has been a slow but consistent reduction in the wild populations. Gilson Essenfelder (pers. comm.), palm enthusiast and resident to the area where this species is native, remarked that he would be surprised if one could count more than 5,000 plants all over the state and vicinity. Based on the low or sporadic frequency of its occurrence in the wild, the continued destruction of its habitat and its low germination potential, this palm is classified as vulnerable, VU A2c; B2ab(iii,v); C1.

Phenology:— This species fruits sparsely in summer. Seeds germinate in 4–6 months, but the rate of germination is low.

Uses:— The fruit mesocarp and seed are edible. The plant is ornamental, with the potential for cultivation in tropical regions. It is used in urban landscaping in regions where it is native.

Notes:— Resembles a miniature S. romanzoffiana but with a smaller inflorescence (80 vs. 167 cm), larger fruits (6–9 vs. 3 cm), larger female flowers (2.0 vs. 0.7 cm), and plumose leaves with under curled leaflets. There is clinal variation in the fruit endocarps of S. macrocarpa that occurs over its range along a north-south line. There are three distinct longitudinal ridges on the endocarps in the northern portion of its range in Espirito Santo and central Minas Gerais, which are easily seen in a fruit cross-section. These ridges become reduced and less noticeable on the basal part of the endocarps in the populations farther south near Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais and in Rio de Janeiro, until they are only visible near the apex of the endocarp. This variation led to the separate description of Syagrus getuliana in Espirito Santo near São Mateus by Bondar (1941).

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Representative specimens:— BRAZIL. Espírito Santo: Aracruz, Jucupemba , ca. 2 km da divisa, beira da BR 101, lado esquerdo, indo para o norte, 50 m, –19.82, –40.27, 3 November 1989, H.Q. Boudet Fernandes 2885 ( CVRD, MBML!, NY, RB) ; Aracruz, Jucupemba , km 170 da BR 101 norte, ca. 200 m da rodovia, ca. –19.55, – 40.22, 125 m, 23 February 1990, H.Q. Boudet Fernandes 2894 ( MBML!, VIES) ; Linhares, Próxima de Rio do Norte, ca. 2 km da divisa municípal. Lado esquerdo da BR 101 indo para o N, 50 m, –19.39, –40.07, 3 November 1989, H.Q. Boudet Fernandes 2886 ( MBML!, NY) , 2887 (MBML!, RB); Minas Gerais: Martius s.n. (M); Governador Valadares, KM 5, –18.85, –41.95, 14 February 1992, G.F.E. Abrahão s.n. ( MBML!) ; Governador Valadares, Cultivated at the edge of town [but native to the region], 150–300 m, –18.85, –41.95, 15 March 1992, L.R. Noblick & G. Abrahão 4841 ( BHCB!, FTG! MBM!, NY!) ; Governador Valadares , native to the area ( Serra de Ibituruna etc.) but this species cultivated in town, 150–300 m, –18.85, –41.95, 16 March 1992, L.R. Noblick & G. Abrahão 4842 ( BHCB! FTG!) ; Juíz de Fora, Parque Mariano Procópio , –21.76, –43.35, 26 June 1986, H.Q. Boudet Fernandes 2001 ( MBML!) ; Juíz de Fora, Parque Mariano Procópio , –21.76, –43.35, 30 July 1986, H.Q. Boudet Fernandes 2008 ( MBML!, MO) ; Juiz de Fora, Parque Mariano Procopio , –21.76, –43.35, 1952, P. Campos Porto s.n. ( RB! [ RB-79194 ]) ; Juiz de Fora, October 1867, A.F.M. Glaziou 2145 (P!); Juiz de Fora, Muséu Mariano Procopio located within the city limits, 650–750 m, –21.75, –43.33, 3 April 1992, L.R. Noblick & G. Duarte 4857 ( CESJ!, F!, FTG!, IPA!, NY!, US!) ; Nanuque , –17.84, –40.35, 11 November 2007, D.A. Folli 5766 ( CVRD) ; Turmalina , 20 January 2010, H. Lorenzi & F.C. Campos 6801 ( HPL!) ; Rio de Janeiro: Alberto Torres , December 1937, M. Burret 16607 ( RB!) ; Três Rios , –22.12, –43.21, 27 July 1986, H.Q. Boudet Fernandes 2000 ( MBML!) ; Rio de Janeiro, 22 April 1877, A.F.M. Glaziou 9015 (K!, P!) [isotype of Cocos procopiana Glaz. ex Drude ] .

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 54. Syagrus macrocarpa. A. Habit near Turmelina, Minas Gerais. B. Crown with newly open inflorescence near Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais (Noblick & Duarte 4857). C. Stem. D. Crown. E. Young palm with persistent leaf sheaths. F. Immature infructescence. G. Inflorescence with old pistillate flowers. Scale is in centimeters.