Coccothrinax torrida Morici & Verdecia (2006: 190)

Henderson, Andrew, 2023, A revision of Coccothrinax, Hemithrinax, Leucothrinax, Thrinax, and Zombia (Arecaceae), Phytotaxa 614 (1), pp. 1-115 : 84-87

1.38. Coccothrinax torrida Morici & Verdecia (2006: 190) . Type:— CUBA. Guantánamo, Loma de Punta Guayacanes , 20˚03’ N 74 ˚33’ W, 45 m, 30 May 2003, C. Morici & R. Verdecia 748 (holotype HMC n.v., isotypes FI n.v., HAC n.v., HAJB n.v., NY n.v., ORT n.v.). Plate 27

Stems 4.0 m long and 4.5 cm diameter, solitary. Leaves more or less deciduous or only leaf bases persisting on stem; leaf sheath fibers 1.7(1.3–2.1) mm diameter, stout, woody, loosely woven, ± joined or briefly free at the apices; petioles 6.6(5.2–7.7) mm diameter just below the apex; palmans 2.0(1.5–3.0) 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 17(16– 18) per leaf, the middle ones 30.6(23.0–40.5) cm long and 2.2(1.9–2.5) 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 with a persistent, dense, whitish layer of wax adaxially, 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 4(3–5); proximalmost rachillae straight, 5.5(3.8–6.2) cm long and 0.8(0.5–0.9) mm diameter in fruit; rachillae glabrous at or near anthesis; stamens 6; fruit pedicels 0.2 mm long; fruits 4.2 mm long and 4.4 mm diameter, cream; fruit surfaces smooth or sometimes with projecting fibers; seed surfaces lobed, the lobes running from base of seeds approximately to equator.

Distribution and habitat:— Cuba (Guantánamo) ( Fig. 18 ) in limestone scrub near the sea at 48(45–50) m elevation.

Taxonomic notes:— As a preliminary species, Coccothrinax torrida has a unique combination of qualitative character states and is recognized as a phylogenetic species. None of the types have been seen and may not be in the herbaria cited in the protologue. Coccothrinax torrida is notable for its elongate inflorescences and small, creamcolored fruits. Morici & Verdecia (2010) have given an illustrated discussion of this species.

Leaf sheath fibers are somewhat difficult to score; the apices are scored as ± joined or briefly free, but they could almost be scored as spine-like. One specimen (Zona 842) is unusual in that the proximalmost two partial inflorescences appear to have two partial inflorescence bracts each. These two partial inflorescences are branched to two orders (i.e. three orders of branching overall), and the branches are subtended by relatively large bracteoles.

Figures

FIGURE 18. Distribution of C. spissa, C. torrida, and C. yunquensis.

PLATE 27. Coccothrinax torrida, Cuba, with inflorescences erect, at least initially, above the leaves, with few partial inflorescences. (Image by Raúl Verdecia Pérez).