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FEB 2 8

L161— O-1096

FIELDIANA

Botany

Published by Field Museum of Natural History

Volume 34, No. 2 March 16, 1971

Re-evaluation of Syagrus loefgrenii Glassman

and S. rachidii Glassman

S. F. GLASSMAN1

PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO CIRCLE

AND RESEARCH ASSOCIATE

FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Both taxa mentioned in the title were originally described as new

species in the same article (Glassman, 1967). After collecting addi-

tional material of S. loefgrenii from an area near its type locality, I

published an emended description of that species (Glassman, 1968).

When these two taxa were first described, I assumed that they

were distinct because of the following differences:

S. loefgrenii S. rachidii

Pinnae up to 32 pairs per leaf. Middle Up to 50 pairs per leaf. In tight clus-

pinnae in loose clusters of 2-3 or single, ters of 2-3, 10-13 cm. long. Up to 12

up to 17 cm. long. Spadix branches up in number, flowers densely crowded,

to 6 in number, flowers more or less

loosely arranged.

In fact, I was so convinced of their being distinct that I placed each

species in separate sections of the subgenus Syagrus due to apparent

differences in clustering of the middle pinnae (Glassman, 1970).

Syagrus loefgrenii was put in the section CAMPYLOSPATHA Glassman

close to S. campylospatha (Barb. Rodr.) Becc., whereas S. rachidii

was placed in the section OLERACEA Glassman, next to S. duartei

Glassman.

After I had examined collections of S. loefgrenii from Itirapina

(Glassman & Gomes 8011 to 8016) I began to question whether this

species was really different from S. rachidii because some of the

1 This research has been supported by National Science Foundation Grant

GB 6899.

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 76-15201*9

Publication 1122 11

The Llbfiry nf tht

SlEY 17 1972 rK'Z MAY ID 1972

1-j KIELDIANA: BOTANY, VOLUME 34

middle pinnae were in tight clusters of two to three, but at the time

I did not attach great significance to this. At a later date, however,

my doubts about two clear-cut species grew considerably when I

looked at other specimens from the Institute Botanica herbarium in

Sao Paulo. In Kuhlmann 3964, presumed to be S. loefgrenii, middle

pinnae from mature leaves are arranged in tight clusters of two to

three, but pinnae from younger leaves of the same plant are mostly

in loose clusters. Kuhlmann 1572, collected near the type locality of

S. rachidii, has a spadix with six branches, however, the lowermost

branch is only 6 cm. long with closely crowded female flowers meas-

uring about 10 mm. long, while the other branches are up to 12 cm.

long with loosely clustered female flowers up to 14 mm. long. In

essence, the lower spadix branch has the appearance of S. rachidii

and the upper branches resemble those of S. loefgrenii.

During a collecting trip to Brazil in the summer of 1969, I de-

cided to visit Pirrassununga, the type locality area of S. rachidii,

to obtain additional specimens in an attempt to solve this problem.

Results showed that a number of leaves collected (Glassman 8748,

874.9) have both tightly and loosely clustered pinnae on the same

leaf, whereas, pinnae of other leaves (Glassman 8750, 8751 ) are mostly

tightly clustered. In addition to this, many of the plants collected

here have larger dimensions than those originally recorded for both

S. rachidii and S. loefgrenii. Some have a short trunk up to 0.5 m.

high, leaf rachis 52-70 cm. long, 41-66 pairs of pinnae per leaf,

middle pinnae 21-25 cm. long, and 0.8-1.3 cm. wide, expanded part

of spathe 20-26 cm. long and 3.5-5.8 cm. wide, branched part

of spadix 18-20 cm. long, longest branch 13-18 cm. long, lower male

flowers 12-17 mm. long, and female flowers 14-18 mm. long.

I have concluded that, in this instance at least, the kind of pinnae

clustering is too variable to be used for specific distinction. Variation

in size of certain structures mentioned above can probably be attrib-

uted to the type of habitat under which certain populations grow.

The holotypes of S. loefgrenii and S. rachidii and specimens collected

near Itirapina (Glassman & Gomes 8011-8016 and J. Elias de Paula

117), and perhaps some of the others cited below, were most likely

growing in localities with relatively poor soil conditions and subjected

to periodic fires. On the other hand, Glassman 8748-8751 and Kuhl-

mann 1572 were probably collected in areas with better soil condi-

tions and fewer fires.

Since my original concept of two distinct species is now very

much blurred, I am combining S. loefgrenii and S. rachidii under

FIG. 1. Syagrus loefrenii Glassman. Holotype, Lofgren 573 (SP).

13

fit

( fctMT.yA*c

rs »•• • - " •

.

FIG. 2. Sya0rus rachidii Classman. Holotype, M. Rachid 53520 (SP).

14

FIG. 3. Syagrus rachidii. Paratype, Totedo and Gehrt l^SlSlt (SP)

15

FIG. 4. Syagnis loefgrenii. Three views of spathes and spadices. Left, old

lowers setting fruit; center, mature flowers; right, young fruit. Glassman 8750.

Opposite:

FIG. 5. Syagrus loefgrenii. Whole mature leaf. Glassman 8750.

16

17

FIG. 6. Syagrus loefgrenii. Whole juvenile leaf showing long sheathing base

and petiole. Glassman 8751.

18

FIG. 7. Syagrus loefgrenii. Longitudinal section and external view of short

trunk. Classman 87^9.

19

FIG. 8. Syagrus loefgrenii. Part of leaf and two spathes and spadices showing

small female flowers. Elias de Paula 117 (SP).

20

FIG. 9. Syagrus loefgrenii. Spathe and spadix showing short lower branch

with small female flowers and longer upper branches with larger female flowers.

Kuhlmann 1572 (SP).

21

FIG. 10. Syagrus loefgrenii. Whole plant showing subterranean stem, flower-

ing spat he and spadix, and leaves. Classman and Gomes 8011.

22

FIG. 11. Syagrus loefgrenii. Three views of spathes and spadices. Left, in

fruit; center, mature flowers; right, old spadix with most of the flowers fallen off.

Glassman and Gomes 8012.

23

24 FIELDIANA: BOTANY, VOLUME 34

one taxon. I have selected S. loefgrenii as the valid name because

it was the first one of the two described in the same article.

Synonymy, an emended description, and cited specimens are

given below:

Syagrus loefgrenii Glassman, Fieldiana Bot. 31: 240. 1967; I.e.

31: 364. 1968 (corrected from lofgrenii}. S. rachidii Glassman,

Fieldiana Bot. 31 : 245. 1967. Figures 1-11.

Acaulescent palm, occasionally with trunk up to 0.5 m. high. Petiole 15-27

cm. long (up to 50 cm. long in juvenile leaves) and 0.6-0.8 cm. wide, margins

smooth or fibrous, sheathing base 15-26 cm. long (up to 33 cm. — juvenile); rachis

of leaf 35-70 cm. long, pinnae 26-66 pairs, in loose or tight clusters of 2-4, occa-

sionally single, middle ones 10-25 cm. long and 0.5-1.3 cm. wide, glaucous or

eglaucous, mostly with oblique tips; expanded part of spathe 11-27 cm. long and

2.0-5.8 cm. wide, deeply plicate-sulcate, brownish tomentose, becoming glabrous

with age; branched part of spadix 8-20 cm. long, branches 4-12 in number, each

branch 6-18 cm. long; male flowers 7-17 mm. long on lower part, 4-10 mm. long

on upper part; female flowers 8-14 mm. long and 5 mm. wide in some populations,

14-18 mm. long and 6-7 mm. wide in other populations; immature fruit with beak

up to 4 mm. long, up to 2 cm. long and 1 cm. in diameter, endocarp about 0.5 mm.

thick, cavity smooth, trivittate; seed not seen.

Flowering from May to November.

Type.— Brazil, Sao Paulo, Rio Claro, Lofgren 573 (SP).

Distribution. — Endemic to Brazil in state of Sao Paulo.

Cited specimens. — BRAZIL: Sao Paulo — Rio Claro, Campo,

June 5, 1888, Lofgren 573 (SP, holotype) ; Anhembi, Fazenda Bar-

reiro Rico, October 5, 1956, M. Kuhlmann 3961+ (SP); Campo

Alegre, September 25, 1940, Toledo and Gehrt 43184 (F, SP); Piras-

sununga, Campos Cerrados da Boa Vista, September 5, 1947,

M . Rachid 53520 (SP, holotype of S. rachidii) ; Pirassununga, No-

vember 11, 1947, M. Kuhlmann 1572 (SP); 9-11 km. N.W. of Piras-

sununga, cerrado, July 14, 1969, Glassman 8748, 8749, 8750, 8751

(CHI); Itirapina, May 22, 1965, J. Elias de Paula 117 (SP); Sertao

de Itirapina, 12 km. N.W. of city, in burned-over savanna, July 2,

1965, Glassman and Gomes 8011, 8012, 8013, 8015, 8016 (CHI).

Syagrus loefgrenii seems to have its closest affinities with S. cam-

pylospatha from Paraguay. Both taxa are acaulescent with a leaf

rachis approximately the same size and have middle pinnae single or

in loose or tight clusters, and these are relatively narrow (0.5-1.3

cm.) with oblique tips. The latter species differs from S. loefgrenii

mainly in the longer middle pinnae (24-38 cm. rather than 10-25

cm.), which are appressed white-brownish pubescent on the upper

GLASSMAN: TWO SYAGRUS SPECIES 25

surface rather than glaucous, a greater number of spadix branches

(up to 20 rather than 4-12), and shorter male and female flowers

(up to 8 mm. and 6-8 mm., rather than up to 17 mm. and 8-18 mm.).

It appears that previous alignment of S. rachidii with species of

section OLERACEA is now incorrect because in members of that sec-

tion the middle pinnae are consistently tightly clustered.

REFERENCES

GLASSMAN, S. F.

1967. New species in the palm genus Syagrus Mart. Fieldiana, Bot. 31, pp.

233-245.

1968. Studies in the palm genus Syagrus Mart. Fieldiana, Bot. 31, pp. 361-

397.

1970. A synopsis of the palm genus Syagrus Mart. Fieldiana, Bot. 32, pp.

215-240.

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA