Chamaedorea fractiflexa Hodel & Cast.Mont, Principes 35: 6 (1991)

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Distribution

GUATEMALA. Quetzaltenango. San Marcos. MEXICO. Chiapas. (Hodel, D. 1992. Chamaedorea Palms, The Species and Their Cultivation. The International Palm Society.)A

Discussion

  • C. fractiflexa is rare, known only from a few collections in Guatemala and one in Mexico. It is closest to C. parvisecta but the more or less straight staminate rachis, thicker, ascending pistil- late peduncle, densely flowered rachillae, and ascending fruit-bearing rachillae distinguish the latter species. C. fractiflexa is not cultivated except for a few plants in the research collection in Los Angeles. (Hodel, D. 1992. Chamaedorea Palms, The Species and Their Cultivation. The International Palm Society.)A

Biology And Ecology

  • Wet forest on the Pacific slope; 2,000-2,900 m elevation. (Hodel, D. 1992. Chamaedorea Palms, The Species and Their Cultivation. The International Palm Society.)A

Etymology

  • From the Latin fractiflexus meaning zigzag, in reference to the staminate rachis. (Hodel, D. 1992. Chamaedorea Palms, The Species and Their Cultivation. The International Palm Society.)A

Description

  • Habit: solitary, erect to decumbent, to 2 m tall. Stem: 5-8 mm diam., smooth, green, internodes 3-7 cm long, often covered with persistent leaf sheaths. Leaves: 3-8, spreading, pinnate; sheath to 12 cm long, tubular, obliquely open apically, green, longitudinally striate-nerved; petiole to 5 cm long, flat and green above, rounded and pale below; rachis to 20 cm long, angled and green above, rounded below with a pale band extending onto sheath; pinnae 5-8 on each side of rachis, lanceolate to broadly lanceolate, to 13 x 3.5 cm, regularly placed, opposite, sigmoid, long-acuminate apically, contracted basally, a prominent midrib and 2 primary nerves on each side of this, a secondary between each pair of primaries, tertiaries numerous, faint, end pinnae sometimes broader, to 6 cm wide, 4-5-nerved. Inflorescences: interfoliar, slender, spreading in flower, pendulous in fruit; peduncles to 30 cm long, very slender, 2 mm wide at base and ± flattened, 0.5-1.5 mm diam. at apex and there ± filiform, green in flower, pendulous and orange apically in fruit; bracts 5-6, prophyll 2 cm long, 2nd bract 4.5 cm, 3rd and 4th 9 cm, 5th 7 cm, often a rudimentary 6th concealed by 5th, ± loosely sheathing, brown in flower and fruit, acute to acuminate, thin-papery, finely longitudinally striate-nerved. Staminate with rachis to 3 cm long, strongly flexuous, green; rachillae 5, these to 7 cm long, each attached at an "elbow" of rachis, green and slightly drooping in flower. Pistillate with rachis to 1 cm long, green in flower, orange in fruit; rachillae 3, these to 7 cm long, green in flower, downwardpointing and orange in fruit. Flowers: Staminate ± densely arranged, 1-2 mm apart, in bud 2-2.5 x 1-1.5 mm, bullet-shaped, at anthesis 2.5 x 2.5 mm, obovate; calyx to 0.75 x 1.5-2 mm, shallowly lobed, sepals connate and/or slightly imbricate nearly to apex, broadly rounded to straight apically, 0.5 mm wide; petals 3 x 1 mm, long-ovate, valvate nearly to base, erect apically, acute, lightly nerved on inside; stamens 1.5-1.75 mm high, filaments 0.5-1 mm long, darkened, anthers I mm long, oblong, bilobed, spreading apically and basally, dorsifixed, yellowish; pistillode 1.5-2.5 mm high, columnar, slightly lobed and widened apically, finely longitudinally striated. Pistillate: loosely arranged, 3-4 mm apart, 1 x 1.5-1.75 mm, ± globose; calyx 0.75 x 2 mm, deeply lobed, obscurely nerved, sepals connate in basal 1/4, acute apically; petals 1.5 x 1.5-2 mm, lightly imbricate basally, erect apically, acute, obscurely nerved; pistil 1. 5 x I mm, ovoid. Fruits: 8 x 7 mm, ± globose, black.?? (Hodel, D. 1992. Chamaedorea Palms, The Species and Their Cultivation. The International Palm Society.)A

Materials Examined

  • GUATEMALA. Quetzaltenango: Hodel 905, 912B, 986 (AGUAT, BH). San Marcos: Williams 26845 (F). MEXICO. Chiapas: Breedlove 41648 (CAS). (Hodel, D. 1992. Chamaedorea Palms, The Species and Their Cultivation. The International Palm Society.)A

Bibliography

    A. Hodel, D. 1992. Chamaedorea Palms, The Species and Their Cultivation. The International Palm Society.