Syagrus campylospatha (Barb.Rodr.) Beccari (1916: 465)

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

7. Syagrus campylospatha (Barb.Rodr.) Beccari (1916: 465) . Cocos campylospatha Barbosa Rodrigues (1900: 9) Type:— PARAGUAY. In campis Cordillera de Altos, without date, E. Hassler 1733 (holotype G!, isotypes K!, NY!, P!)

Cocos acaulis Drude subsp. glauca Drude (1900: 23) . Type:— PARAGUAY. In campo aprisco arenoso, 1893, Regnell A 1879 (holotype S).

Cocos apaensis Barbosa Rodrigues (1903a: 100). Syagrus apaensis (Barb.Rodr.) Beccari (1916: 466) . Type:— PARAGUAY. Arroyo Trementino, in region of Rio Apa, E. Hassler 7688 (holotype G!).

Cocos hassleriana Barbosa Rodrigues (1903b: 101). Syagrus hassleriana (Barb.Rodr.) Beccari (1916: 466) . Type:— PARAGUAY. In arenosis prope Concepcion, E. Hassler 7164 (holotype G!).

Figure 10 plate, Figure 4 map.

Small, clustering to colonial palm less than 150 cm tall. Stem horizontal, stoloniferous. Leaves 3–6; sheathing leaf base ca. 17–40 cm long; pseudopetiole 20–40(–58) cm long; petiole 10–27 × 0.5–1.2 cm, 0.3–0.5 cm thick; rachis 50–120 cm long; leaflets slightly lighter on the abaxial surface, linear, stiff, erect, terminating in a hardened spine a the tip, 23–50 along one side, in clusters of 2 or 3(–4), inserted at various angles, giving the leaf a plumose appearance, no ramenta scales or tomentum present where the leaflets are inserted on the rachis, and none along the abaxial midvein; basal leaflets 8–13 × 0.1–0.5 cm, middle leaflets 13–38 × 0.7–1.1 cm, apical leaflets 8–23 × 0.1– 0.4 cm with an asymmetric tip. Inflorescence erect, spirally branched; prophyll ca. 23 × ca. 2 cm; peduncular bract 30–62 cm long, expanded portion 16–37 × 1.8–6.0 cm, including a beak not measured, perimeter 5.5–9 cm, 1.5–3 mm thickness, woody, sulcate, exterior with scattered thin indument; peduncle ca. 11–42 cm × 6–7.5 mm thick, elliptical in cross-section, glabrous; inflorescence axis 16–25 cm long; rachis 8–15 cm long; rachillae 18–23, glabrous, 5–12 cm long at the apex, 10–23 cm long at the base; staminate flowers 4.5–6 × 2–2.5 mm at the apex, 7– 8 × 2–2.5 mm at the base, green to yellow, sepals 3.5–5.5 × 1.5–2.2 mm, glabrous, smooth, petals 3.5–5.5 × 1.5–2.2 mm at the apex, 6–7.5 × 1.5–2.2 mm at the base, glabrous, nerves indistinct to slightly raised at the base of the petal, with acute tips, stamens 2.5–5.0 mm long, anthers 2–3.8 mm long, filaments 1–3 mm long, pistillode 1 mm long; basal pistillate flowers elongate conical, 6–10 × 4–6 mm, yellow, sepals, glabrous, 5.5–7.5 × 3–4 mm, petals 5–7.5 × 2–4 mm, valvate tips 1/3 to ½ the length of the petal, ca. 2–3 mm long, glabrous to tomentose, often with slightly raised veins near the margins, pistil 4–5.5 × 1.5–2.5 mm, glabrous, stigmas 1–2.5 mm long, glabrous, staminodal ring 0.8–1.5 mm high, 6-dentate. Fruit ovoid, 2–3 × 1.2–2 cm, green with yellowish bases when mature, mostly glabrous, but tomentose at the apex, epicarp thin less than 0.5 mm thick, mesocarp 5–8 mm thick,

34 • Phytotaxa 294 (1) © 2017 Magnolia Press

NOBLICK succulent and fibrous, mucilaginous; endocarp 1.8–2.0 × 1.4–1.6 cm, 2.5–3.0 mm thick; seed ellipsoid to ovoid ca. 1.2– 0.8 cm, endosperm homogeneous. Germination remote-tubular.

Common name:— yatáy-mi, yatáy-pequeño.

A REVISION OF THE GENUS SYAGRUS

Phytotaxa 294 (1) © 2017 Magnolia Press • 35

Etymology:— The specific epithet, campylospatha , translates as bent spathe or bent peduncular bract. Such a character has never been noticed in this species, but perhaps it was in the material that Barbosa Rodrigues inspected.

Distribution and habitat:— Endemic to the Paraguay and Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil on the frontier with Paraguay, in sandy soils, which can be periodically flooded,

Conservation:— This is actually a “weedy” species that persists in pastures and along roadsides, as cattle do not like its spike-tipped leaflets. It has an ample distribution and persists under the severest of circumstances in over-grazed pastures both in Brazil and in Paraguay. It produces an abundance of fruits and appears to reproduce vegetatively as well, growing into large colonies. Therefore it is classified as least concern, LC.

Phenology:— Fruits sparsely in summer (February–March). This palm has been seen both in fruit and flowering in early March. Seed is difficult to germinate, taking from 18–33 months.

Uses:— This palm, with its attractive glaucous, bluish gray foliage, possesses potential for cultivation in gardens.

Notes:— This is an acaulescent, clustering palm with spine-tipped pinnae that cattle avoid, and a unique leaflet anatomy with many narrow girder-type vascular bundles that connect the adaxial and abaxial surfaces (bundle sheath extensions).

Representative specimens:— BRAZIL. Mato Grosso do Sul: Bela Vista , 245 m, –22.57, –55.72, 22 June 2009, H. Lorenzi et al. 6694 ( HPL!) ; Bela Vista : ca. 18 km N of the city on BR-060 near km 657. 276 m, –21.92, – 56.38, 24 January 2014, L.R. Noblick & R. Pimenta 5646 ( ESA!, HPL!, FTG!) ; PARAGUAY. Concepcion: prope Concepcion, 2 August 1901, E. Hassler 7164 (G); Concepción Estancia Agüerito, Potrera Laurel , December 1991, F. Mereles 4282 ( FCQ!) ; Cordillera: Cordillera de Altos, 1914, Chodat, R. 721 (G); Cordillera de Altos , E. Hassler 1733 (G!, K, NY) ; Cordillera de Altos, October 1904, E. Hassler 2163 (G); Emboscada, –25.17, –57.33, March 1984, W.J. Hahn 2200 ( MO!, PY!); Emboscada, ca. 1 km S of center of the town of Emboscada , 180 m, – 25.14, –57.34, 19 February 1996, L.R. Noblick et al. 5128 ( FCO!, FTG!, PY!); Emboscada, December 1971, A. Schinini 4222 ( CTES, G); Loreto , 16 October 1986, T.M. Pederson 14638 (G!, MBM!) ; Tobati, 98 m, ca. 2 km de Tobati, Depto. Cordillera , lado esquerda pavimentado p/ Arroyos e Esteros , –25.24, –57.09, 24 March 2009, H. Lorenzi et al. 6653 ( HPL!) ; Cordillera, Valenzuela , 1882, B. Balansa 4776 (P) ; Paraguari: Plaine de Pirayu, June 1877, B. Balansa 2711 ( BH, P!); Paraguari , 1893, C.A.M. Lindman A1879 (S) ; Without Locality: F. Mereles 1180 ( FCQ!) ; Arroyo Trementina, Rio Apa , 2 October 1901, E. Hassler 7688 (G); 1914, R. Chodat s.n. (G [G-62689]) .

Figures

FIGURE 4. Distribution maps of Syagrus allagopteroides, S. amara, S. angustifolia, S. botryophora, S. caerulescens, S. campestris, S. campylospatha, and S. cardenasii.

FIGURE 10. Syagrus campylospatha. A. Population near Emboscada, Paraguay. B. Colonial habit near Bela Vista, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. C. Single palm with long narrow leaf. D. Specimen with mature fruits. E. Spine-tipped leaflet tips. F. Close up of hardened spines on brownish leaflet tips. G. Infructescence with mature fruit.