Roystonea dunlapiana P.H.Allen, Ceiba 3: 15 (1952)

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Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Honduras present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Mexico Southeast present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Nicaragua present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Scattered in estuaries and coastal swamps from Mexico to Honduras and Nicaragua. It likely occurs in Belize, but no collections from that country have been seen. (Zona, S. 1996. Roystonea.(Arecaceae: Arecoideae). Flora Neotropica Monograph 71, 1-35.)A

Discussion

  • In the original description of R. dunlapiana, Allen (1952) mentioned several characteristics that set it apart from what he thought was the most similar species, R. altissima of Jamaica: greater number of longer leaves, scaly midvein of the leaf segment, the "unique truncation" of the leaf segments, wider spacing of the flowers, and "other characters." Of these characteristics, truncate leaf segment apices would indeed be remarkable and highly distinctive for a species of Roystonea. Allen stated in the description of R. dunlapiana that truncate apices were found only in segments taken from the midpor-tion of the leaf, that basal and terminal segments had acute bifid apices typical for Roystonea. He noted that the middle segments appeared "almost as though they had been bitten off." I have been unable to confirm the presence of truncate apices in this species, even from the type specimen. Since no truncate apices have been found anywhere on the leaves of this species, or any species of Roystonea, one wonders if, in fact, Allen had observed segments damaged by herbivores.?The above description is based on very few collections; adequate material, especially of the pistillate flowers, is still lacking. (Zona, S. 1996. Roystonea.(Arecaceae: Arecoideae). Flora Neotropica Monograph 71, 1-35.)A

Common Name

  • Yagua, cabiche (Honduras). (Zona, S. 1996. Roystonea.(Arecaceae: Arecoideae). Flora Neotropica Monograph 71, 1-35.)A

    Uses

    • Leaves and leaf sheaths are used for thatching. (Zona, S. 1996. Roystonea.(Arecaceae: Arecoideae). Flora Neotropica Monograph 71, 1-35.)A

    Description

    • Trunk gray-white, to 20 m tall, ca. 38 cm diam. Leaves ca. 15, lowest leaves hanging below the horizontal; crownshaft ca. 2 m long; rachis ca. 4 m long, middle segments 78-88 cm long and 2.5-6.5 cm wide. Inflorescence ca. 1 m long and 1 m wide; pro-phyll not seen; peduncular bract ca. 2 m long, narrowly acuminate, as long as the crownshaft, widest in the middle; rachillae ca. 37 cm long and 1-1.3 mm diam., stiff. Staminate flowers white; sepals triangular, ca. 1 mm long and 0.8-1.8 mm wide; petals elliptical to ovate, 2.9-5.6 mm long and 2.1-2.4 mm wide; stamens 6, ca. 3.5 mm long; filaments awl-shaped, 2.4-4.8 mm long; anthers 1.8-2.7 mm long, purplish; pistillode minute. Pistillate flowers 1.5-3.5 per cm, not seen. Fruits obovoid and gibbous, 12-14.7 mm long, 7.5-9.8 mm dorsiventral thickness, and 7.1-9.5 mm wide; epicarp purplish black stigmatic scar plain; endocarp ellipsoid, 11-13.6 mm long, 6.5-8.2 mm dorsiventral thickness, and 6.5-7.4 mm wide; seed ellipsoid, 7.3-10.3 mm long, 4.5-5.8 mm dorsiventral thickness, and 5.1-6 mm wide; raphe circular. Eophyll linear-lanceolate, exstipitate, weakly costate. (Zona, S. 1996. Roystonea.(Arecaceae: Arecoideae). Flora Neotropica Monograph 71, 1-35.)A

    Materials Examined

    • HONDURAS. ATLANTIDA: Refugio de Vida Silvestre Cuero y Salado, estuary of Rio Garcia, Zona & Martinez 422 (FLAS, RSA, TEFH), Soto 659 (TEFH); Ramal de Tigre, adjacent to Rio Ulua, Zona & Martinez 424 (FLAS, RSA, TEFH).?NICARAGUA. ZELAYA: Rio Grande de Matagalpa, near Karawala, Allen 6479 (EAP).?MEXICO. QUINTAN A ROO: 7 km NE of La Union, Estero Franco, Quero 3602 (MEXU), Read et al. 80-016A (US). (Zona, S. 1996. Roystonea.(Arecaceae: Arecoideae). Flora Neotropica Monograph 71, 1-35.)A

    Bibliography

      A. Zona, S. 1996. Roystonea.(Arecaceae: Arecoideae). Flora Neotropica Monograph 71, 1-35.
      B. World Checklist of Arecaceae