Metroxylon paulcoxii McClatchey
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Authority
Henderson, A. & Borchsenius, F. 1999. Evolution, variation, and classification of palms. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 83: i-xi, 1-324, color pls. I-XIII.
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Family
Arecaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Hapaxanthic trees, small to moderate-sized. Leaf spines green to yellow-brown; petiole 1-3 m long, unarmed or armed; rachis 1.5-2.9 m long; leaflets 120-150, 70-95 X 5-8 cm, regularly arranged to grouped, unarmed or armed with short spines 2-5 mm long, along the margins and main vein. Inflorescences branching to second order, aggregated into a suprafoliar compound inflorescence 1-2 m tall, with eight to 15 erect branches equivalent to axillary inflorescences; peduncle 0.4-1.3 m X 5-8 cm; one to five peduncular bracts; rachis longer than peduncle, 0.6-1.7 cm long, first-order branches erect with one to eight rachillae per branch; rachillae erect, pendulous or horizontal, lateral rachillae (if present) 3-11 cm X 7-12 mm , erect, horizontal or pendulous; terminal rachilla 14-26 cm X 11-13 mm, pendulous and often sigmoid shaped, ca. 450 flowers per terminal rachilla, each rachilla with a few to many empty proximal bracts and zero to many empty distal bracts; floral prophylls spirally arranged in four rows. Staminate flowers 3 mm wide; calyx 5 mm long; corolla 8-11 mm long, with three (occasionally four), woody, valvate (occasionally imbricate) petals; corolla > 2 X as long as the calyx; stamens 6 mm long. Hermaphroditic flowers 3 mm wide; calyx 5 mm long, sepals as in staminate flower; corolla 8-9 mm long, petals as in staminate flower; corolla as in staminate flower; stamens 5 mm long; gynoecium 2.5 mm long. Fruit obpyriform, 5.4-6 cm diam., 6.5-7 cm long, with emergent apical stigmatic remains; epicarp covered in 24-26 rows of green to golden yellow-brown to gray-margined, reflexed scales, with the midfruit scales 13 mm long; mesocarp 2+ mm thick, fibrous, corky or spongy; endocarp thin. Seed globose, 3.7 cm wide, invaginated to 20 mm deep.
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Discussion
Metroxylon paulcoxii McClatchey, Novon 8: 252-258. 1998. Type: Western Samoa: 'Upolu island, roadside between Falevao and La Mafa pass, 10 m, Moore & Fasavalu 9985 (holotype: BH). Moore & Fasavalu 9985 has been selected as the type of a newly described species because Moore recognized the presence of a distinctive taxon in Western Samoa. In addition to the type collection at BH, Moore sent fruit collections to the Lyon Arboretum, Honolulu, Hawaii. These fruits were planted in the arboretum and the trees, mature with infructescences (in 1997), exemplified the same characters described herein. The name M. upoluense Becc. (1918) cannot be used for this species, because the type and description (Western Samoa, 'Upolu island, Rechinger s.n., 1905 [Fl]) cannot be determined with confidence. This species was originally described by Beccari (1918), based on a small envelope of immature fruits sent from German Samoa by Rechinger to Beccari, in Italy. Since the immature fruits of M. warburgii and M. paulcoxii do not differ, it is impossible to determine which species Rechinger s.n. represents. The growth of the rachillae observed in Moore & Fasavalu 9985 is strikingly different from M. warburgii, necessitating the recognition of this species. Populations of M. paulcoxii are found growing alone or adjacent to M. warburgii. Usually M. paulcoxii appears to be much smaller in stature and diameter but has a similar-sized inflorescence. Samoans who were interviewed indicated that there are two types of Metroxylon found on 'Upolu. The first type is smaller, lacks starch, and produces leaves that are not useful for thatch, although Samoans were observed making thatch from these trees (these are represented here by specimens of M. paulcoxii). The second type (obviously M. warburgii) was formerly introduced as a source of thatch, and some Samoans have since learned to extract starch from the stems. One specimen of M. paulcoxii (McClatchey, Zona & Poai 1192) has inflorescence branches that have a few secondary branches that resemble M. warburgii, whereas the remaining branches resemble M. paulcoxii. This may represent either a hybrid or merely part of the morphological variability of M. paulcoxii.
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Distribution
Distribution: Western Samoa, on 'Upolu and Savai'i islands.
Samoa Oceania|