A New PalmSabal Species Storiesin the United States any years ago, as botany projects – on orchids, cacti, grasses and Mstudents at the University cycads – while the Sabal remained an of Texas, Austin, Doug Goldman and enigma. Last year, Doug, now with I travelled to the South Texas coast. the USDA, led a group of experts to Doug was in search of a little-known complete the study.* palm that had puzzled botanists – it Close examination revealed that resembled a common Sabal minor, but these palms were a new hybrid species had a tall, strong trunk – up to 30 feet! – Sabal × brazoriensis – resulting Perhaps only 300 of these mysterious from what appears to be an ancient palms grow in a humid bottomland cross between Sabal minor and Sabal forest among oaks and elms. Prior palmetto. Interestingly, although Sabal collectors made only a few specimens mexicana (see below) grows much and experts called these ‘robust nearer than Sabal palmetto to the dwarf palmettos.’ ‘Brazoria Palms,’ our analysis shows S. Doug and I prepared specimens, mexicana was not involved. gathered samples, wrote extensive It is exciting that these discoveries notes and took photographs. Doug can still be made – quoting from the *Goldman, D.H., M.R. Klooster, M.P. also carefully analyzed the DNA at paper: “such work likely will reveal a Griffith, M.F. Fay, & M.W. Chase. A prelimi- the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – the number of surprises.” nary evaluation of the ancestry of a putative results suggested a new discovery! Sabal hybrid (Arecaceae: Coryphoideae), Over the years, Doug and I each Dr. Patrick Griffith, Executive Director and the description of a new nothospecies, completed many other botanical [email protected] Sabal × brazoriensis. Phytotaxa 27: 8–25.

The Last Natural Forest of Sabal mexicana in the U.S.

ucked away at the very southern tip of Texas near for many endangered or TBrownsville in one of the lowest loops of the Rio high-priority birds – and is Grande is a very special 527-acre preserve containing the last among the last vestiges of natural stand of Sabal mexicana in the United States. That core original Sabal palm forest Sabal forest is about 32 acres in size. The Audubon Society in the U.S. purchased the land and managed the property for several years, I obtained permission realizing the value of this natural Sabal mexicana palm forest. and collected a population The Sanctuary, now managed by the Gorgas Science sample of seed from the Foundation, provides critical shelter and breeding habitat Sanctuary last October with my colleague Dr. Romeo Montalvo, of the South Texas Palm Society. Fruit production was down from previous years according to Romeo, because of two severe winters in a row Larry Noblick with Sabal mexicana and the long drought last summer, but with diligence, we managed to find five trees withe matur fruit. The seed is being germinated and grown in the Montgomery greenhouse. We also made a dried specimen appropriate for future scientific studies, which was deposited at the FTBG herbarium along with duplicates to be deposited elsewhere. Dr. Larry Noblick, Palm Biologist [email protected]

Spring/Summer 2012 | Montgomery Botanical News 5