Nannorrhops H.Wendl., Bot. Zeitung (Berlin) 37: 147 (1879)

Primary tabs

https://media.e-taxonomy.eu/palmae/photos/palm_tc_133083_6.jpg

Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Afghanistan present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Gulf States present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Iran present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Oman present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Pakistan present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Yemen present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
One variable species in semidesert areas of the Middle East (Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Arabia). (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

Discussion

  • Distinguished vegetatively by the dichotomously branching stems and large bluish-grey leaves that lack a hastula. Developmental studies of the flowers (Uhl 1969a) have shown that connation of carpels begins in the styles at a relatively late stage in ontogeny, suggesting parallels with members of the Livistoninae in which carpels are connate by styles only. (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

Diagnosis

  • Shrubby hermaphroditic hapaxanthic fan palm confined to oases or seasonal water courses in Arabia, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan, distinctive in the leaf lacking a hastula, dichotomously branching erect stems and suprafoliar compound inflorescence. (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

Biology And Ecology

  • Occurring in semi-desert areas where the water table is not too deep, but tending to avoid subtropical coastal habitats within its range; reaching to 1800 m altitude. (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

Common Name

  • Mazari palm. (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

Etymology

  • Nannos — dwarf, rhops — bush, in reference to the habit. (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

Uses

  • The main use of Nannorrhops ritchiana is as a source of fibre for weaving and rope making. Though undoubtedly ornamental and one of the hardiest palms, it is only rarely grown. (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

Description

  • Moderate, shrubby, clustered, unarmed, hapaxanthic, hermaphroditic palm. Stems branched, prostrate or erect, branching in prostrate stems axillary, in erect stems dichotomous. Leaves induplicate, briefly costapalmate, marcescent; sheath splitting both below and opposite the petiole, brown, woolly tomentose and margins becoming frayed; petiole elongate, shallowly channelled adaxially, rounded abaxially; hastulae absent; blade regularly divided into stiff, glaucous, single-fold segments, further divided by abaxial splits, intersegmental filaments conspicuous, midribs prominent abaxially, transverse veinlets obscure. Inflorescences above the leaves, compound, composed of branches equivalent to the axillary inflorescences of pleonanthic palms, each branch subtended by a leaf with reduced blade or by a tubular bract, and branched to the fourth order; prophyll tubular, 2-keeled; peduncular bracts 0 to several, similiar; bracts subtending first-order branches tubular, tips pointed, each first-order branch with a basal, tubular, 2-keeled, empty prophyll; bracts subtending second-order branches tubular; rachillae bearing conspicuous tubular bracts, variously tomentose, each subtending a flower group. Flowers very short pedicellate, in a condensed cincinnus of 1–3(–7) flowers, each flower bearing a minute tubular bracteole; calyx thin, tubular at the base with 3 triangular lobes; corolla with a short stalk-like base and 3 distinct lobes, imbricate in the proximal 2/3, valvate in the distal 1/3; stamens 6, distinct, the antesepalous with free filaments, and the antepetalous with filaments adnate at the base to the petals, filaments awl-shaped, inflexed at the tip, anthers elongate, versatile, latrorse; carpels 3, connate except at the very base, ovary distinctly 3-grooved, style single, stigma scarcely differentiated, ovule anatropous, attached ventrally and basally. Pollen ellipsoidal, usually slightly asymmetric; aperture a distal sulcus; ectexine tectate, reticulate or foveolate-reticulate, aperture margin psilate or scabrate; infratectum columellate; longest axis 30–39 µm [1/1]. Fruit subglobose to ellipsoidal, 1-seeded, stigmatic remains basal; epicarp smooth, mesocarp fleshy, endocarp thin. Seed globose to ovoid, with very shallow grooves corresponding to the rapheal bundles, hilum basal, endosperm homogeneous, usually with a small central hollow; embryo basal. Germination remote-ligular; eophyll undivided. Cytology: 2n = 36. (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

Anatomy

  • Leaf (Tomlinson 1961), root (Seubert 1997), floral (Morrow 1965, Uhl 1969a). (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

Fossil record

  • Small monosulcate grains, Palmaemargosulcites fossperforatus, from palm flower compression fossils recovered from the Middle Eocene oil shales of Messel, Germany, are compared with pollen of a number of coryphoid genera, including Nannorrhops (Harley 1997). (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

Relationships

  • For relationships, see Chuniophoenix. (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

Taxonomic accounts

  • Moore (1980). (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

Bibliography

    A. Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms
    B. World Checklist of Arecaceae