Aiphanes acaulis Galeano & R.Bernal

  • Authority

    Borchsenius, Finn & Bernal-González, Rodrigo. 1996. Aiphanes (Palmae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 70: 1-94. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Arecaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Aiphanes acaulis Galeano & R.Bernal

  • Type

    Type. COLOMBIA. Choco: Mun. de El Carmen de Atrato, road Medellin-Quibdó, km 151, Vereda El Doce, Río Atrato, left bank, 700 m, 5 Jan 1980 (fl), Bernal & Galeano 71 (holotype, COL; isotypes, HUA, K).

  • Description

    Species Description - Solitary, acaulescent. Leaves 8-10, erect and arching, in vivo dark green; sheath 11-16 cm long, with a brown, scaly indument, covered with purplish, to 0.5 mm long spinules, usually also with a few black, short spines; petiole 12.5-50 cm long, with indument and spinules as on the sheath; rachis 42-75 cm long, densely covered with purplish black, to 5 mm long spinules, sometimes with a few, to 2 cm long spines; pinnae 18-30 per side, regularly inserted, all in one plane, linear or very narrowly cuneate, 6-10 times as long as wide, strongly plicate, rigid, truncate-praemorse at apex, with a 1-4 cm long finger-like projection on the distal margin, adaxial side often with a row of black, thin, 5-10 mm long spines along the midrib, abaxial side with scattered similar spines and 1-3 rigid spines on the basal part of the midrib; basal pinnae 7-24.5 x 0.71 cm; middle pinnae 10-27 x 1.7-2.5 cm; apical pinnae 1-3 ribbed, 6.5-15.5 x 4-6 cm. Inflorescence erect, spicate; prophyll 16-26 x 0.7-1.1 cm; peduncular bract 37-94 cm long, with scattered short spinules; peduncle 12-88 cm long, 3-5 mm diam. at junction with rachis, with scattered short spinules; spike 15-31 cm long, 5-6 mm diam., with minute, brown spinules, with triads for ca. ½ of the length, the remaining part with staminate dyads; flower groups sunken, pistillate flowers sunken for ½ of their length or more. Staminate flowers purple, 1.5-2.5 mm long; sepals arched, carinate, 1-1.5 x ca. 2 mm; petals shortly connate at base, 1.5-2 x 1-2 mm; filaments ca. 0.3 mm long, anthers oval, 0.3-0.4 x 0.3-0.5 mm; pistillode and receptacle forming a disc-shaped structure, ca. 0.6 mm high and 1.2 mm diam. Pistillate flowers ca. 3 mm long; sepals broadly ovate to reniform, 1-1.5 x 3-4 mm; petals connate for ca. ½ of their length, valvate distally, 2-2.5 x 2-2.5 mm; staminodial cup 1.5-2 mm high, truncate with 6 minute teeth; pistil glabrous. Fruit not seen. Illustrations. Fig. 1 ID (pollen), 19E (distribution map), 21M (middle pinnae); Galeano and Bernal, 1985: 21, fig. 1.

  • Discussion

    Aiphanes acaulis is very characteristic in its acaulescent habit, linear or narrowly cuneate, regularly inserted, strongly plicate, rigid pinnae, and spicate inflorescence. In life form and general appearance it resembles the Peruvian A. spicata; the differences between the two are discussed under the latter (see also Table II).

  • Distribution

    Endemic to western Colombia, where only two small populations have so far been located, both in the department of Chocó, in wet lowland to premontane rain forest at 150-700 m.

    Colombia South America| Chocó Colombia South America|