Hedyscepe H.Wendl. & Drude, Linnaea 39: 178 (1875)

Primary tabs

https://media.e-taxonomy.eu/palmae/photos/palm_tc_97875_24.jpg

Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Norfolk Is. present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
One species endemic to LordHowe Island. (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

Discussion

  • Closely related to Rhopalostylis. Differs in having triadsnearly throughout the rachillae, more than six stamens and apistillode with a rounded ovarian base. Also differs in beingprotandrous, Rhopalostylis being protogynous. (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

Diagnosis

  • Moderate, solitary pinnate-leaved palm endemic to Lord Howe Island, with a conspicuous white crownshaft. (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

  • Found on high cliffs above the sea, mostcommon on the more exposed ridges at 600–750 m elevation. (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

  • Big mountain palm, canterbury umbrella 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

  • Hedys — pleasant, skepe — shade, in allusion to its local name, umbrella palm. (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

Uses

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

Description

  • Solitary, moderate, unarmed, pleonanthic, monoecious palm. Stem rather stout, conspicuously ringed with narrow, raised, whitish leaf scars. Leaves pinnate, stiff, arching; sheath forming a prominent crownshaft, thick, striate, densely covered with white wax and scattered small brown scales; petiole very short, stout, adaxially grooved, abaxially rounded; leaflets subopposite, rather short, lanceolate, pointed, proximal and distal leaflets distinctly narrower and shorter, stiff, ±erect, single-fold, adaxially glabrous, abaxially tomentose along the margins and scaly along the ribs on both surfaces, midrib and 3 pairs of veins raised adaxially, transverse veinlets not evident. Inflorescences solitary, infrafoliar, ?protandrous, branched to 1(–3) orders; peduncle short, ± flat, stout, horizontal; prophyll tubular, dorsiventally flattened, pointed but not tapering, with 2 flat lateral keels, chartaceous, deciduous; peduncular bract like the prophyll but not keeled, also caducous; ca. 3 wide ridge-like bracts above the peduncular bract; rachis rather short but longer than the peduncle, bearing low, pointed, spirally arranged bracts subtending rachillae; rachillae divaricate, stout, bearing triads of flowers nearly throughout, distally with a few pairs and single staminate flowers; floral bracteoles, low, pointed. Staminate flowers asymmetrical; sepals 3, distinct, slightly imbricate and bulbous or connate basally, narrow, elongate, widely separated, tapering distally, keeled; petals 3, distinct, variously angled, valvate; stamens 9–10 (–12 according to J.D. Hooker [1883]) in 2 series, antesepalous stamens solitary, antepetalous stamens paired, filaments awl-shaped, markedly inflexed at the apex in bud, anthers erect in bud, large, variously curved, linear, emarginate apically, bifid basally, latrorse, connective elongate, tanniniferous; pistillode with a rounded ovarian part and long terete style about as high as the stamens. Pollen grains ellipsoidal, slight asymmetry; aperture a distal sulcus; ectexine tectate, perforate, aperture margin similar; infratectum columellate; longest axis ranging from 55–60 µm [1/1]. Pistillate flowers symmetrical, ovoid; sepals 3, distinct, imbricate, rounded; petals 3, distinct, imbricate with briefly valvate apices; staminodes 3, small, tooth-like, (?)borne on one side of the gynoecium; gynoecium unilocular, uniovulate, ovoid with 3 recurved stigmas, ovule laterally attached, form unknown. Fruit broadly ellipsoidal, deep dull red when ripe, stigmatic remains apical; epicarp smooth, mesocarp with a prominent layer of longitudinal, slender fibres over parenchyma and dispersed tannin cells and flat, long fibres adherent to the endocarp, endocarp crustaceous, thin, fragile, not operculate. Seed laterally attached by a broad elongate hilum, raphe branches numerous, anastomosing, endosperm homogeneous; embryo basal. Germination adjacent-ligular; eophyll bifid. Cytology not studied. (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

Anatomy

  • Root (Seubert 1998a, 1998b) and fruit (Essig andHernandez 2002). (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

  • No generic records found. (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 Rhopalostylidinae. (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

  • Green (1994). (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