Gaussia H.Wendl., Nachr. Königl. Ges. Wiss. Georg-Augusts-Univ. 1865: 327 (1865) | PALMweb

Gaussia H.Wendl., Nachr. Königl. Ges. Wiss. Georg-Augusts-Univ. 1865: 327 (1865)

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Content

Number of Taxa

5 species

Distribution

Map accurate to TDWG level 3 distributions

Belize, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Southeast, Mexico Southwest, Puerto Rico (World Checklist of Monocotyledons)
Five species, occurring in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Cuba, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. (J. Dransfield, N. Uhl, C. Asmussen, W.J. Baker, M. Harley and C. Lewis. 2008)

Discussion

Species of Gaussia superficially resemble Pseudophoenixspp. However, they are easily recognised because they havegrouped unisexual flowers rather than solitary hermaphroditicflowers. (J. Dransfield, N. Uhl, C. Asmussen, W.J. Baker, M. Harley and C. Lewis. 2008)

Biology And Ecology

On limestone hills (mogotes), sometimes growing from crevices in very steep rocks and at low elevations on limestone escarpments or low hills, often on pyramids in the archeological region of Guatemala, less frequently on the forest floor in high forest over limestone. (J. Dransfield, N. Uhl, C. Asmussen, W.J. Baker, M. Harley and C. Lewis. 2008)

Common Name

Llume palm (Gaussia attenuata), maya palm (G. maya). (J. Dransfield, N. Uhl, C. Asmussen, W.J. Baker, M. Harley and C. Lewis. 2008)

Etymology

Commemorates German mathematician Karl Friedrich Gauss (1777–1855). (J. Dransfield, N. Uhl, C. Asmussen, W.J. Baker, M. Harley and C. Lewis. 2008)

Diagnosis

Solitary, moderate or tall pinnate-leaved monoecious palms from Central America and the Caribbean; stems often bear many inflorescences at the same time; flowers are borne in groups of 3–7. (J. Dransfield, N. Uhl, C. Asmussen, W.J. Baker, M. Harley and C. Lewis. 2008)

Description

Solitary, moderate or tall, unarmed, monoecious, pleonanthic palms. (J. Dransfield, N. Uhl, C. Asmussen, W.J. Baker, M. Harley and C. Lewis. 2008)

Anatomy

Leaf (Tomlinson 1961), root (Seubert 1998a, 1998b). (J. Dransfield, N. Uhl, C. Asmussen, W.J. Baker, M. Harley and C. Lewis. 2008)

Relationships

Gaussia is monophyletic with high support (Cuenca and Asmussen-Lange 2007). For relationships, see Chamaedorea. In addition, a phylogeny based on morphology alone places Gaussia as sister to the rest of tribe Chamaedoreeae (Cuenca-Navarro 2007). (J. Dransfield, N. Uhl, C. Asmussen, W.J. Baker, M. Harley and C. Lewis. 2008)

Taxonomic accounts

Quero and Read (1986), Beccari (1912)and Moya Lopez and Leiva (1991). (J. Dransfield, N. Uhl, C. Asmussen, W.J. Baker, M. Harley and C. Lewis. 2008)

Fossil record

No generic records found. (J. Dransfield, N. Uhl, C. Asmussen, W.J. Baker, M. Harley and C. Lewis. 2008)

Uses

Local uses are not recorded. Species are rarely grown as ornamentals. (J. Dransfield, N. Uhl, C. Asmussen, W.J. Baker, M. Harley and C. Lewis. 2008)

Bibliography

Dransfield, J. , Uhl, N. , Asmussen, C. , Baker, W.J. , Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008. Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms. Kew Publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew.
World Checklist of Arecaceae

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