Ceroxylon alpinum Bonpl. ex DC., Bull. Sci. Soc. Philom. Paris 3: 239 (1804)

Primary tabs

Error message

  • Warning: Illegal string offset '#value' in compare_description_element_render_arrays() (line 388 of /var/www/drupal-7-cdm-dataportal/modules/cdm_dataportal/includes/descriptions.inc).
  • Warning: Illegal string offset '#value-suffix' in compare_description_element_render_arrays() (line 388 of /var/www/drupal-7-cdm-dataportal/modules/cdm_dataportal/includes/descriptions.inc).
  • Warning: Illegal string offset '#value' in compare_description_element_render_arrays() (line 388 of /var/www/drupal-7-cdm-dataportal/modules/cdm_dataportal/includes/descriptions.inc).
  • Warning: Illegal string offset '#value-suffix' in compare_description_element_render_arrays() (line 388 of /var/www/drupal-7-cdm-dataportal/modules/cdm_dataportal/includes/descriptions.inc).
https://media.e-taxonomy.eu/palmae/photos/palm_tc_37247_1.jpg

Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Colombia present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)C
Venezuela present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)C
Venezuela to Ecuador along the Andes. (Borchsenius F., Borgtoft-Pedersen H. and Baslev H. 1998. Manual to the Palms of Ecuador. AAU Reports 37. Department of Systematic Botany, University of Aarhus, Denmark in collaboration with Pontificia Universidad Catalica del Ecuador)A

Premontane wet forest from 1400 to 2000 m, in the Andes of Venezuela (Distrito Federal, on the northwestern slopes of the Cordillera de La Costa, Aragua, and Táchira) and Colombia (western slope of the Eastern Cordillera, and eastern and western slopes of the Central and Western Cordilleras). (Maria Jose Sanin & Gloria Geleano in Phytotaxa 34 (2011))B

Discussion

  • Two subspecies are recognised.Notes for Ecuador. The subspecies that occurs in Ecuador, subsp. ecuadorense Galeano, is endemic to that country. (Borchsenius F., Borgtoft-Pedersen H. and Baslev H. 1998. Manual to the Palms of Ecuador. AAU Reports 37. Department of Systematic Botany, University of Aarhus, Denmark in collaboration with Pontificia Universidad Catalica del Ecuador)A
  • Ceroxylon alpinum is characterized by its regularly arranged, horizontal pinnae, inflorescence axes with reddish indumentum, staminate flowers with large and exserted anthers with a projected connective, and a warty fruit exocarp, with raised lenticels. C. alpinum subsp. ecuadorense described from the western Andes of Ecuador (Galeano 1995), is here included in C. echinulatum; see comments under that species. This decision is supported by phylogenetic analyses based on molecular data (Trénel et al. 2007b, 2008). The name Ceroxylon andicolum var. occidentale was published by Fawcett based on a description sent to him from Colombia by Robert B. White. The description was accompanied by a few seeds but apparently no specimen was ever made. White cited a locality "60 miles South of Cali, in the Valley of Cajamarca"; this locality is actually 114 km north of Cali, near the town of El Dovio, where the neotype was collected. (Maria Jose Sanin & Gloria Geleano in Phytotaxa 34 (2011))B

Conservation

  • The vast majority of the montane forest within the range of this species has been destroyed or fragmented by coffee plantations or pastures. According to the IUCN criteria (Version 3.1) this species is Endangered (EN) in Venezuela (Llamosas et al. 2003), as well as in Colombia. In the latter country it is estimated that natural populations have been reduced more than 80% in the last 210 years (Galeano & Bernal 2005). Moreover, in one of the best conserved populations genetic erosion has been detected in seedlings (Gaitán-Solís 2003). A demographic study revealed that the maximum age of palm individuals growing under natural conditions is 160 years and up to 213 years in one particular case (Vergara-Chaparro 2002). On average they developed an aerial stem at the approximate age of 57 years and started flowering when they were approximately 83 years old. (Maria Jose Sanin & Gloria Geleano in Phytotaxa 34 (2011))B

Common Name

  • Chonta (Quindío, Colombia); palma bendita (Venezuela); palma de cera (Quindío, Valle del Cauca, Colombia; Venezuela); palma real (Valle del Cauca, Colombia). (Maria Jose Sanin & Gloria Geleano in Phytotaxa 34 (2011))B

Uses

  • The young leaves have traditionally been used in religious processions on Palm Sunday, a practice that has been abandoned by law in Colombia (Galeano & Bernal 2005). The stems are used as fencing around houses and farms, and to build walls. The fruits are consumed by pigs. (Maria Jose Sanin & Gloria Geleano in Phytotaxa 34 (2011))B

Description

  • Canopy palm. Stem solitary, to 20 m tall, 15-30 cm in diameter, white with black leaf scars, or more rarely grey to brown. Leaves to 5 m long; pinnae ca. 100 on each side, regularly inserted in one plane, often somewhat pendulous, green and glabrous above, below silverish white and with a thin wax layer, the central pinnae 70-90 cm long and 3-4 cm wide. Inflorescences arching to pendulous, to 3 m long, branched 3 times. Fruits globose, 1-2 cm in diameter, slightly rough, red at maturity. (Borchsenius F., Borgtoft-Pedersen H. and Baslev H. 1998. Manual to the Palms of Ecuador. AAU Reports 37. Department of Systematic Botany, University of Aarhus, Denmark in collaboration with Pontificia Universidad Catalica del Ecuador)A
  • Stem 8-21 m tall, 19-30 cm in diam., internodes covered with thin layers of wax, white at the base, grey to brown towards the apex.
    Leaves 17-20(-25) in hemispheric crown; sheath 75-125 cm long, densely covered with thick, eventually deciduous tomentum of white scales; petiole (10-)20-30 cm long, 4.5-7.0 cm wide apically, adaxial surface concave to flattened, margins acute, glabrescent, abaxial surface convex, densely covered with thick, deciduous scales or their broken bases, indumentum more persistent towards the margins; rachis 194-270 cm long, adaxially flattened in 2/3-¾ of its length, twisted 90° on distal portion thereby holding the pinnae in a vertical position, abaxial surface covered with an indumentum resembling that of the petiole; pinnae 90-110 on each side, regularly arranged in one plane, horizontal to slightly pendulous, in the latter case forming an angle (abaxially) close to 75°, abaxial surface covered with elliptical, membranaceous, white scales, becoming gradually more scattered with age, midrib covered with one row of translucent, deciduous scales, pinnae at the extreme proximal end filiform, 22-41(-62) × 0.2-0.3(-1.4) cm, 10th pinna from base 52-74 × 1-2 cm, middle pinnae 49-80 × 3.5-5.5 cm, 2.3-5.5 cm apart, apical pinnae (15-)24-31 × 0.5-1.0 cm, usually free, rarely united along the margins.
    Staminate inflorescences: peduncle ca. 80 cm long, covered with pale brown floccose scales; peduncular bracts 7, the longest 75 × 11 cm, leathery, covered with deciduous indumentum, only persisting towards margins; rachis 80-90 cm long, with ca. 56 first order branches, each subtended by a 0.5-1.5 mm membranaceous acuminate bract; rachis and branches covered with thick layer of persistent, white to cream indumentum of floccose scales; longest branches near base 37 cm long.
    Pistillate inflorescences up to five in various stages of development; peduncle 1.0-1.7 m long, 2.6-3.0 cm wide at apex, covered with pale brown, floccose, deciduos scales; prophyll covered with thick, brownish to yellowish, floccose; peduncular bracts 6-7, 22-148 × 11 cm, and an additional bract smaller, more distally inserted, about 8 cm, all bracts leathery, covered with thick indumentum like that of the prophyll; rachis 84-123 cm, with 54-62 first order branches, all branches subtended by a 0.5-2.0 mm, membranaceous, acuminate bract; longest branches 38-72 cm; rachis and first order branches densely covered with white and ferrugineous, persistent membranaceous scales.
    Staminate flowers: sepals 3, triangular-acuminate, apex narrow, 1.0-1.5 mm, connate basally for 1/3-½ their length, not reaching or exceeding edge of corolla tube; petals 3, ovate-acuminate to subulate, 4-8 mm, basally connate for 0.4-1.5 mm, apex long-acuminate, acumen 1-2 mm; stamens 10-17(-19), exserted, 3-6(-9) antesepalous, and 3-9(-10) antepetalous, filaments 1.0-2.5 mm, anthers basifixed, 4-7 mm, connective exceeding theca in length by 0.2-0.4 mm.
    Pistillate flowers: sepals 3, elliptical-acuminate, 1-2 mm long, connate for approx. ½ their length, reaching or exceeding edge of corolla tube; petals 3, elliptical-subulate, 4-5 mm long, basally connate for up to 1 mm, acumen narrow, 1 mm long; staminodes 12-16, 0.5 mm long, with thick filaments, abortive anthers
    1.5-2.0 mm long.
    Fruits globose, orange-red when ripe, 1.6-2.0 cm diam., exocarp with raised lenticels appearing as scattered warts; perianth with triangular-acuminate sepals, 1.0-1.8 mm long, connate basally for 0.5-1.0 mm, lobes reaching edge of corolla tube, petals elliptical-subulate, 4-9 mm long, widened at base, acumen 1-3 mm long, connate basally for 0.7-1.0 mm.
    Seeds ca. 1 cm diam. (Maria Jose Sanin & Gloria Geleano in Phytotaxa 34 (2011))B

Materials Examined

  • COLOMBIA. Cundinamarca: Sasaima, Road to Guaduas, km 64, 1720 m, 18 April 1985, G. Galeano & R. Bernal 687 (pist.fl., fr.) (COL); on road between Bogotá and Honda, ca. 1880 m, 4 September 1970, H. E. Moore & R. E. Diets IV 9864 (BH, COL); Guaduas, Road from La Cabaña to Chaguaní, slope towards Chaguaní, 1700 m, 3-4 October 1998, R. Bernal & G. Galeano 2320 (st.fl.) (COL). Quindío: Salento, 1700-1900 m, 25-31 July 1922, E. Killip 9049 (fr.) (US); toward R. Boquía, 1600-1700 m, 25?28 August 1922, T. Hazen 10149 (US); 1 km east of Calarcá on road between Armenia and Ibagué, 1780-1830 m, 16 November 1974, H. E. Moore et al. 10191 (st.fl., mat.fr.) (BH, COL, K, NY, US); no locality, no date, Purdie 46 (st.fl.) (K, P). Valle: Cordillera Occidental, West slope, river basin of the Albán, El Zancudo, 1480-1540, 21 October 1946, J. Cuatrecasas 22485 (MO); municipality of Argelia, road from Argelia to La Florida, 5 km from Argelia, 1 km before the Inspección de La Palma, 1560 m, 11 April 1989, R. Bernal & W. Devia 1550 (st.fl.) (COL). VENEZUELA. Distrito Federal: Colonia Tovar, s.d., A. Fendler 7466 (fl., fr.) (NY); 1854-1855, A. Fendler, s.n. (pist.fl., immat.fr.) (K, NY); Karsten, sn. (LE!), rich forested seaward slopes along quebrada leading towards "Portachuelo" above Hacienda El Limón, 5.8 km below junction at Geremba of Junquito-Colonia Tovar road, 1750?1800 m, 24 October 1963, J. Steyermark 91772(st.fl.) (BH, NY). Along road between El Limón and El Junquito-Colonia Tovar, 10°30' N 67°20' W, 1600, 7 March 1968, J.G. Wessels-Boer et. al 2447 (mat.fr.), 2448 (st.fl.) (NY, MERC). (Maria Jose Sanin & Gloria Geleano in Phytotaxa 34 (2011))B

Use Record

  • Ceroxylon alpinum Bonpl. ex DC.: Las hojas jóvenes se utilizan como "palma de ramo" en las festividades de la Semana Santa. (Galeano, G. 1992: Las palmas de la región de Araracuara)
    Use CategoryUse Sub CategoryPlant PartHuman GroupEthnic GroupCountry
    CulturalRitualEntire leafNot identifiedN/AEcuador
  • Ceroxylon alpinum Bonpl. ex DC.: The leaves are commercialised for this purpose. (making ceremonials baskets for the easter parades). (Borchsenius F., Borgtoft-Pedersen H. and Baslev H. 1998. Manual to the Palms of Ecuador. AAU Reports 37. Department of Systematic Botany, University of Aarhus, Denmark in collaboration with Pontificia Universidad Catalica del Ecuador)
    Use CategoryUse Sub CategoryPlant PartHuman GroupEthnic GroupCountry
    CulturalRitualEntire leafNot identifiedN/AEcuador
  • Ceroxylon alpinum Bonpl. ex DC.: The leaves of this species are highly valued and are used in religious processions on Palm Sunday ( Domingo de Ramos), hence the local name " Palma de ramo". (Svenning, J.C., and H. Balslev 1998: The palm flora of the Maquipucuna montane forest reserve, Ecuador)
    Use CategoryUse Sub CategoryPlant PartHuman GroupEthnic GroupCountry
    CulturalRitualEntire leafMestizoN/AEcuador

Bibliography

    A. Borchsenius F., Borgtoft-Pedersen H. and Baslev H. 1998. Manual to the Palms of Ecuador. AAU Reports 37. Department of Systematic Botany, University of Aarhus, Denmark in collaboration with Pontificia Universidad Catalica del Ecuador
    B. Maria Jose Sanin & Gloria Geleano in Phytotaxa 34 (2011)
    C. World Checklist of Arecaceae