Geonoma stricta subsp. arundinacea (Mart.) A.J.Hend., Phytotaxa 17: 144 (2011)

Primary tabs

https://media.e-taxonomy.eu/palmae/photos/palm_tc_89562_1.jpg

Content

Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Bolivia present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Brazil North present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Colombia present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Ecuador present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Peru present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
From 2°30'N-17°50'S and 49°32-78°42'W in the western Amazon region of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil and eastern Andean slopes in Ecuador, at 416(75-1850) m elevation in lowland or montane rainforest. (Henderson, A.J. (2011) A revision of Geonoma. Phytotaxa 17: 1-271.)A

Discussion

  • This is a widespread and extremely variable subspecies which can be divided into various morphotypes, mostly based on leaf size and shape. In the western Amazon basin of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil there is a morphotype (arundinacea) with undivided or pinnate leaves with non-raised adaxial veins and unbranched or branched inflorescences with deciduous staminate flowers. In some cases specimens approach those of the trailii morphotype and are only distinguished by their non-raised adaxial veins. For example, in Yasuni National Park in Amazonian Ecuador, there are two forms of this morphotype. One has smaller leaves and branched inflorescences, the other larger leaves and unbranched inflorescences. The latter exactly resemble trailii in their leaves, except for the non-raised veins. There are no specimens of trailii from Yasuni, but it occurs just to the west of the Park. There may be introgression between arundinacea and trailii in this area. A specimen (Vásquez 7413) from Amazonian Peru has an exceptionally long rachilla. On eastern Andean foothills and in the western Amazon region in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru there is a morphotype (elevata) with small, undivided leaves with narrow basal angles and raised adaxial veins and unbranched inflorescences with persistent staminate flowers. Inflorescences are usually pendulous. In the western Amazon region in Colombia, Peru, and Brazil there is a morphotype (minor) with small, undivided, rarely pinnate leaves and unbranched inflorescences with deciduous staminate flowers. Veins are difficult to score in this morphotype. In the western Amazon region in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil there is a morphotype (piscicauda) with large, undivided leaves with narrow basal angles and raised adaxial veins. Inflorescences are unbranched and often pendulous, and have persistent staminate flowers. The types of G. piscicauda and G. wittiana are of this morphotype. On eastern Andean foothills in Ecuador at 1217(825-1600) m elevation there is a morphotype (puyo) with pinnate leaves and branched or unbranched inflorescences with deciduous staminate flowers. Veins are difficult to score in this morphotype, and there seem to be several local variants. Some specimens (Balslev 6419, Cerón 6552, 7454, Harling 3762, Øllgaard 98478) have exceptionally long inflorescences. A widespread morphotype (pycnostachys, Plates XX, XXI) occurs in the central and western Amazon region in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil. It has mostly undivided leaves with the veins not raised adaxially, and unbranched inflorescences with persistent staminate flowers. The type of G. pycnostachys is of this morphotype. Several specimens from the central Amazon region (Campos 519, Cid 545, Henderson 662, 1043, 1066, Nee 42341, 42897) are more similar to subsp. stricta in their small leaves than they are to other, more westerly specimens of pycnostachys. However, small-leaved pycnostachys also occur sporadically in the western Amazon region. Specimens (Díaz 7327, Kajekai 300, Rodríguez 261, 568, Rojas 592, Vásquez 18741, 20286, 24195, 24322) from southeastern Ecuador and northwestern Peru (Amazonas) have exceptionally large leaves, thick rachillae, and large fruits. Specimens from eastern Andean slopes in Ecuador have pinnate leaves with few divisions. Some specimens (e.g., Lewis 10332, Vásquez 14439, and probably several others) appear to be hybrids between this and the trailii morphotype, and others appear to be hybrids between this and the piscicauda morphotype. In the central and western Amazon region of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil, with outliers in the central Amazon of Brazil and in Bolivia, there is a morphotype (trailii) with pinnate leaves with raised adaxial veins and unbranched inflorescences with deciduous staminate flowers. The types of Geonoma elegans var. amazonica, Geonoma trauniana, Geonoma dasystachys, and Geonoma bella are of this morphotype. The two outlying specimens in Bolivia occur in the same area as outlying specimens of the tapajotensis morphotype of G. macrostachys. As in the pycnostachys morphotype, specimens from southeastern Ecuador and northwestern Peru (Amazonas) have exceptionally large inflorescences. In the southwestern Amazon region in Peru and Brazil there is a morphotype (uleana) with undivided or pinnate leaves with non-raised adaxial veins and unbranched inflorescences with deciduous staminate flowers. It has longer peduncular bracts - 3.5 (2.7-4.7) versus 0.5(0.1-4.0) cm - than other morphotypes. The type of G. uleana is of this morphotype. (Henderson, A.J. (2011) A revision of Geonoma. Phytotaxa 17: 1-271.)A

Description

  • Leaves undivided or pinnate; veins raised and rectangular in cross-section adaxially, or not raised or slightly raised and triangular in cross-section adaxially; pinnae 2(1-12) per side of rachis. Inflorescences unbranched or branched; staminate flowers deciduous or persistent after anthesis. (Henderson, A.J. (2011) A revision of Geonoma. Phytotaxa 17: 1-271.)A

Use Record

  • Geonoma arundinacea Mart.: Cuando se dispone de plantas abundantes se usa para techar viviendas. (Cerón, C.E., C.G. Montalvo, J. Umenda et al. 1994: Etnobotánica y notas sobre la diversidad vegetal en la comunidad Cofán de Sinangüé, Sucumbíos, Ecuador (as Geonoma arundinacea Mart.))
    Use CategoryUse Sub CategoryPlant PartHuman GroupEthnic GroupCountry
    ConstructionThatchEntire leafIndigenousCofánEcuador
  • Geonoma arundinacea Mart.: Geonoma arundinacea Mart. Español: Ponilla. Urarina: Cajiaguí Usos: Herramientas y utensilios — Los tallos son utilizados como soporte (timbina) para instalar los mosquiteros y para la fabricación de lanzas utilizadas para la pescar. Comunidad: 1, 3 (transectos), 6, 12, 14, 15, 20, 22, 24, 25. Voucher: H. Balslev 6585. (Balslev, H., C. Grandez, et al. 2008: Useful palms (Arecaceae) near Iquitos, Peruvian Amazon (as Geonoma arundinacea Mart.))
    Use CategoryUse Sub CategoryPlant PartHuman GroupEthnic GroupCountry
    Utensils and ToolsHunting and fishingStemNot identifiedN/APeru
    Utensils and ToolsDomesticStemNot identifiedN/APeru
  • Geonoma pycnostachys Mart.: The ashes of the leaves are mixed with a curare syrup prepared from Strychnos jobertiana. (Schultes, R.E., and R.F. Raffauf 1990: The healing forest- Medicinal and toxic plants of the Northwest Amazonia (as Geonoma pycnostachys Mart.))
  • Geonoma piscicauda Dammer: The Shuar thatch roofs with the leaves. (Bennett, B.C., M.A. Baker, and P. Gómez-Andrade 2002: Ethnobotany of the Shuar of Eastern Ecuador (as Geonoma piscicauda Dammer))

Bibliography

    A. Henderson, A.J. (2011) A revision of Geonoma. Phytotaxa 17: 1-271.
    B. World Checklist of Arecaceae