Cyrtostachys glauca H.E.Moore, Principes 10: 86 (1966)

Primary tabs

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Content

Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
New Guinea present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Cyrtostachys glauca is a Papua New Guinean species. This palm is distributed in Morobe, Milne Bay and Central Provinces. (Heatubun, Ch.D. 2009: A monograph of Cyrtostachys (Arecaceae))A

Discussion

  • Cyrtostachys glauca is easily distinguished from all other species by its spherical crown, glaucous leaf sheath and crownshaft, slender and elongate petioles of more than 50 cm long (– 100 cm), papery leaflets, slender inflorescence and rachilla with sparse superficial pits, and by the unique presence of trichotomosulcate pollen grains. This is a very peculiar species within Cyrtostachys because of the nature of the pits along the rachilla. The pits are very shallow or even lacking in a few specimens (Kjaer & Magun 512 and Barfod 454) and together with the tiny flowers (in bud) the species may be superficially confused with Heterospathe or Rhopaloblaste. However, the generic characters such as presence of a crownshaft, connate petals and stamens in staminate flowers, and fruit and seed morphology still clearly indicate it as a species of Cyrtostachys. (Heatubun, Ch.D. 2009: A monograph of Cyrtostachys (Arecaceae))A

Biology And Ecology

  • Growing in primary forest or secondary forest with scattered subsistence gardens in lowlands to sloping terrain or hill forest at an altitude 30 – 400 m above sea level. (Heatubun, Ch.D. 2009: A monograph of Cyrtostachys (Arecaceae))A

Conservation

  • Data Deficient (DD). Although this palm has a relatively wide distribution in SE Papua New Guinea, suggesting the category “Least Concern”, more accurate data related to distribution of, and the threats to, this species are still needed to assess its conservation status. (Heatubun, Ch.D. 2009: A monograph of Cyrtostachys (Arecaceae))A

Common Name

  • Vekintambu (Lababia dialect; Morobe), Hek (Madang dialect). (Heatubun, Ch.D. 2009: A monograph of Cyrtostachys (Arecaceae))A

Uses

  • Stem for building purposes. (Heatubun, Ch.D. 2009: A monograph of Cyrtostachys (Arecaceae))A

Description

  • Slender to moderate, clustering tree palm to 5.5 – 15 (– 21.6)m, withup to c. 3 adult stems andup to4ormore suckers at base, crown spherical in outline. Stem 5 – 15 cm diam., bright green and becoming grey in age, nodal scars conspicuous; internodes 3.5 – 7.5 cm long. Leaves 6 – 8 in crown, leaves spreading, 172 – 410 cm long (including petiole); sheath tubular, 66 – 130 cm long, 8 – 22 cm wide, forming a distinct crownshaft, 70 – 240 cm long, bright glaucous, sparsely and minutely lepidote with membranous brown scales; petiole green, elongate, 25 – 88 (– 100) cm long, 2 – 3 cm wide and 1 – 1.6 cm thick at the base, rounded and rather densely and minutely brown lepidote below, concave and similarly lepidote or puncticulate above; leaflets regularly Slender to moderate, clustering tree palm to 5.5 – 15 (– 21.6)m, withup to c. 3 adult stems andup to4ormore suckers at base, crown spherical in outline. Stem 5 – 15 cm diam., bright green and becoming grey in age, nodal scars conspicuous; internodes 3.5 – 7.5 cm long. Leaves 6 – 8 in crown, leaves spreading, 172 – 410 cm long (including petiole); sheath tubular, 66 – 130 cm long, 8 – 22 cm wide, forming a distinct crownshaft, 70 – 240 cm long, bright glaucous, sparsely and minutely lepidote with membranous brown scales; petiole green, elongate, 25 – 88 (– 100) cm long, 2 – 3 cm wide and 1 – 1.6 cm thick at the base, rounded and rather densely and minutely brown lepidote below, concave and similarly lepidote or puncticulate above; leaflets regularly (Heatubun, Ch.D. 2009: A monograph of Cyrtostachys (Arecaceae))A

Materials Examined

  • PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Central Province; Yamu road, c. 15 km NE of Cape Rodney, 30 m a.s.l., Sept. 1969, Pullen 8212 (L!, LAE); Pullen 8231 (BH!, CANB, L!, LAE); Yamu village near Mori R., Sept. 1969, Pullen 8198 (BH, CANB, L!, LAE,). Milne Bay Province; along Kabawawa highway, 0 m a.s.l., March 2000, Barfod et al. 454 (AAU!, BRI, CANB, K!, LAE); Esa’ala, Ferguson Island, E of Lake Lavu, 100 m a.s.l., Nov. 1976, Croft et al. LAE 68805 (BRI, L!, LAE); Maiyu R., c. 16 km WNW of Biniguni airstrip, c. 280 m a.s.l., June 1972, Pullen 8409 (A, CANB, L!, LAE,). Morobe Province; forested slopes along logging road just beyond bridge over Markham R. on the road from Lae to Bulolo, March 1964, Moore 9272 (holotype BH!); Lae, Garagos logging road, Katik LAE 62219 (BRI, L!, LAE); Bulili Ridge, near Lababia guest house, 50 – 400 m a.s.l., Kjaer & Magun 512 (AAU!, BRI, CANB, K!); just before Gwabadik on the 4WD track, 275 m a.s.l., Feb. 1993, Takeuchi 8770 (A!, L!, LAE); NW of Waria R., Buttress Ridge above Wara Pao, near Yai Village, c. 200 m a.s.l., July 1999, Takeuchi et al. 13217 (A!); Lae, 60 m a.s.l., Sept.1971, Essig & Katik LAE 55009 (CANB, L!, LAE,); LAE 62219 (L!, LAE). CULTIVATED. Lae Botanic Garden, main palm collection, Nov. 2006, Baker & Fazang 1309 (K, LAE). (Heatubun, Ch.D. 2009: A monograph of Cyrtostachys (Arecaceae))A

Bibliography

    A. Heatubun, Ch.D. 2009: A monograph of Cyrtostachys (Arecaceae)
    B. World Checklist of Arecaceae