Laccospadix H.Wendl. & Drude, Linnaea 39: 205 (1875)

Primary tabs

https://media.e-taxonomy.eu/palmae/photos/palm_tc_106702_7.jpg

Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Queensland present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
One variable species widespread in tropical rain forest in northeastern Queensland, Australia. (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

Discussion

  • A very attractive palm because of the long spikes ofred fruits. (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

Diagnosis

  • Short or acaulescent pinnate-leaved palms endemic to the rain forests of Queensland, Australia; distinctive in the spicate inflorescences and staminate flowers with 9–12 stamens. (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 shaded, humid rain forest on mountain rangesand table lands at altitudes of 800–1400 m above sea-level. (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

  • Atherton 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

  • Lakkos — pit, spadix — branch or frond, but in botany, inflorescence, referring to the spicate inflorescence with pits. (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

Uses

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

Description

  • Small to moderate, solitary or clustering, unarmed, pleonanthic, monoecious palm. Stem erect, becoming bare, conspicuously ringed with leaf scars. Leaves pinnate, marcescent; sheaths soon splitting opposite the petiole, bearing scattered scales, the margins becoming fibrous; petiole long, adaxially channelled, abaxially rounded, bearing scattered scales; rachis curved, scaly like the petiole; leaflets numerous, single-fold, conspicuously plicate, acute or acuminate, adaxially and abaxially with minute scattered scales, abaxially with conspicuous ramenta along the main ribs, transverse veinlets not visible. Inflorescences solitary, interfoliar, protandrous, unbranched; peduncle winged at the base, erect, elongate, bearing scattered caducous scales; prophyll inserted at the base of the peduncle, flattened, tubular, 2-winged, ± included within the leaf sheaths, tending to disintegrate into fibres apically; peduncular bract 1, inserted near the tip of the peduncle, enclosing the spike in bud, splitting longitudinally, deciduous at anthesis; rachis ± equalling the peduncle, pendulous, bearing a slightly spiralled series of prominent, rounded bracts forming the lower lips of the floral pits; floral pits enclosing triads except at the apex where enclosing paired or solitary staminate flowers only, flowers exserted one at a time; floral bracteoles 3, ± sepal-like. Staminate flowers borne on very short flattened pedicels, ± symmetrical; sepals 3, distinct, keeled, ± chaffy, with irregular margins; petals 3, ± twice as long as the sepals, distinct, triangular-ovate, valvate, marked within by anther impressions; stamens 9–12, erect, filaments very short, anthers ± elongate, basifixed, latrorse; pistillode minute, trifid. Pollen ellipsoidal, asymmetric; aperture a distal sulcus; ectexine tectate, finely perforate-rugulate, or finely granular-rugulate, especially on proximal face, aperture margin finely perforate-rugulate; infratectum columellate; longest axis 36–42 µm [1/1]. Pistillate flowers ± globular; sepals 3, distinct, ± chaffy, with irregular margins; petals similar to but longer than sepals, distinct, broadly imbricate except at the valvate, triangular tip; staminodes 3, small, ± triangular; gynoecium unilocular, uniovulate, ovoid-ellipsoidal, tipped with 3, short, recurved stigmas, ovule attached laterally near the base, campylotropous. Fruit ellipsoidal when fresh, red at maturity, perianth whorls persistent, the stigmatic scar apical; epicarp smooth, mesocarp thin, fleshy, overlying stout longitudinal fibres, endocarp thin, adherent to seed. Seed laterally attached with short oblong hilum, the raphe ± extending the length of the seed, the raphe branches anastomosing, endosperm deeply ruminate; embryo basal. Germination adjacent-ligular; eophyll bifid. Cytology: 2n = 32. (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 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 Linospadix. (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

  • There is no recent publishedassessment of infraspecific variation. (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