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

Primary tabs

https://media.e-taxonomy.eu/palmae/photos/palm_tc_88904_1.jpg

Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Belize present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Cuba present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Dominican Republic present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Guatemala present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Mexico Gulf present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Mexico Southeast present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Mexico Southwest present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Puerto Rico present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Five species, occurring in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Cuba, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

Discussion

  • Species of Gaussia superficially resemble Pseudophoenixspp. However, they are easily recognised because they havegrouped unisexual flowers rather than solitary hermaphroditicflowers. (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

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. (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

  • 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. (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

  • Llume palm (Gaussia attenuata), maya palm (G. maya). (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

Etymology

  • Commemorates German mathematician Karl Friedrich Gauss (1777–1855). (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

Uses

  • Local uses are not recorded. Species are rarely grown as ornamentals. (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 or tall, unarmed, monoecious, pleonanthic palms. (Dransfield, J., Uhl, N., Asmussen, C., Baker, W.J., Harley, M. & Lewis, C. 2008: Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms)A

Anatomy

  • Leaf (Tomlinson 1961), root (Seubert 1998a, 1998b). (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

  • 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). (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

  • Quero and Read (1986), Beccari (1912)and Moya Lopez and Leiva (1991). (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