Syagrus emasensis Noblick & Lorenzi (2014: 6)

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

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/phytotaxa.294.1.1
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03A087AB-FFEE-BD14-0AEC-FD8A0461FE29
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Syagrus emasensis Noblick & Lorenzi (2014: 6)
status

Treatment

18. Syagrus emasensis Noblick & Lorenzi (2014: 6) View in CoL . Type: — BRAZIL. Goiás: Chapadão do Céu : Parque Nacional das Emas, Not far from the Park Office, elevation ca. 818 m, –18.27, –52.91, 9 Jan 2014, L. Noblick & H. Lorenzi 5632 (holotype ESA!, isotypes HPL!, UB!, RB!, SP!, K!, FTG!, NY!, MO!, US!)

Figure 25 View FIGURE 25 plate, Figure 20 View FIGURE 20 map.

Small solitary palm at times appearing clustered, due to the proximity of individuals, to 20–50 cm tall. Stem short, subterranean. Leaves 3 or 4, usually slightly twisted; sheathing leaf base ca. 3–6(–11) cm long; pseudopetiole 2– 3.5(–8) cm long; petiole 1.5–3(–6) × 0.3–0.5 cm, 0.2–0.3 cm thick; rachis 12–22 cm long; leaflets slightly lighter on the abaxial surface, 6–10 along one side, in clusters of 2–5 or singly, ramenta scales or tomentum absent where the leaflets are inserted on the rachis, only occasional ramenta or tomentum along the abaxial midvein; basal leaflets 11–16 × 0.2–0.3 cm, middle leaflets 14–22(–30) × 0.5–0.7 cm, apical leaflets 11–13(–25) × 0.1–0.4 cm with an asymmetric tip. Inflorescence erect, spicate or branched; prophyll 3–5 × 0.9–1.0 cm; peduncular bract 9– 12 cm, expanded portion 5–9 × 1–2 cm, 1.5–3 cm perimeter, 1 mm thickness or less, narrow, woody, sulcate, exterior with scattered scales; peduncle ca. 2.5–6.0 cm × 3 mm, tomentose; inflorescence axis 3–8 cm long; rachis absent; rachilla 1 (rarely 2 or 3), glabrous, 3–5(–8) cm long; staminate flowers 4.5–4.8 × 2.5–2.7 mm at the apex, 7.9–8.0 × 3.0– 3.1 mm at the base, green to yellow, sepals 1 × 1 mm, glabrous, no visible nerves, petals 3.9–4.1 × 1.7–2.1 mm at the apex, 6.0–6.7 × 2.0– 2.8 mm at the base with acute tips, nerves indistinct, stamens 2.7–3.7 mm long, anthers 2.2–2.7 mm long, filaments 1.0– 1.7 mm long, pistillode ca. 0.3 mm long; pistillate flowers conical, 8.0–8.2 × 3.5–3.8 mm at the apex, 9.5–10.2 × 3.7–3.8 mm at the base, yellow, glabrous, sepals 6–10.2 × 3.0– 5.5 mm, glabrous, no visible venation, petals 6.0–8.8 × 4.0– 6.6 mm, glabrous, obscurely nerved, valvate tips 1/3 to ½ the length of the petals, ca. 2–4 mm long, pistil 6.5–6.6 × 2.8–3.0 mm, glabrous on the upper half, short tomentose on the lower half of the ovary, stigmas ca. 3 mm long, glabrous, staminodal ring ca. 0.7–0.8 mm high, 6-dentate. Fruit ellipsoid, 2.3–2.5 × 1.3–1.5 cm, green when mature, covered with a squamous tomentum, epicarp less than 0.5 mm thick, mesocarp not measured, succulent and fibrous; endocarp 1.8–1.9 × 1.2 cm, thickness not measured; seed ellipsoid not measured, endosperm homogeneous. Germination remote-tubular.

Common name:— None recorded.

Etymology:— The specific epithet, emasensis , refers to the Parque Nacional das Emas located in the southwestern corner of the state of Goiás, where this palm grows.

Distribution and habitat:— This species is distributed between the municipality of Mineiros and Chapadão do Céu in the Brazilian state of Goiás. Currently it is known only within the Parque Nacional das Emas growing in open cerrado grasslands, in rocky to sandy soils, in highly exposed conditions with few trees or bushes.

Conservation:— This species has not yet been found outside of the Parque Nacional das Emas. It is well protected within the 30,000 hectare park, where it appears to be fairly common, but outside the park it would be threatened by soybean agriculture. Since the park is so large and the population is substantial, this species is considered LC, least concern.

Phenology:— Mostly flowering in January and February and with mostly immature fruits in January.

Uses:— This is a potential landscape plant. This species has a pleasing and curious curliness about the leaf, which the author has not found in other acaulescent Syagrus .

A REVISION OF THE GENUS SYAGRUS

Notes:— Normally the leaves of this palm are somewhat twisted, curved or curled, but when sandy soil is piled on top of already established plants as we found along one roadside, they emerge with straighter leaves (Noblick 5633) and narrower elongated inflorescences.

NOBLICK

Syagrus emasensis grows in the same national park and habitat as S. procumbens . Both are small acaulescent palms with spicate inflorescences. Syagrus emasensis differs from it in having the longitudinally twisted leaves (vs. straight leaves), which are slightly less procumbent to the ground than those found in S. procumbens . Syagrus emasensis also differs by having a longer leaf rachis (12–22 vs. 2.4–13 cm), but shorter leaflets (12–30 vs. 31–78 cm).

Representative specimens:— BRAZIL. Goiás: Chapadão do Céu, no Parque Nacional das Emas, 800 m, – 18.26, –52.90, H. Lorenzi & A. Campos-Rocha 7121 (HPL!); Chapadão do Céu: Parque Nacional das Emas, ca. 838 m, –18.17, –52.83, L.R. Noblick & H. Lorenzi 5633 (ESA!, HPL!, FTG!, NY!).