looll QUERO:NEW

Principes.35(4). 199I, pp. 219-224

Sabal gretheriae,a New Speciesof Palm from the Yucatan Peninsula,

HBnnrnoJ. Queno Jardin Botdnico, Instituto de Biologia, Uniaersidad Nacional Aut6noma de M6xico, Apdo. Post. 7O-614, MExico, O4510, D. F.

Sabal is a New World genus, ranging concluded that there are remarkable dif- in the Northern Hemisphere from the ferencesbetween those Sabal speciesfrom Caribbean Islands and Southeastern United and those of Yucatan, sufficient for States,through Mexico and Central Amer- those from the Chiquila region in Quintana ica, to Venezuela(Bailey 1944). Roo to be consideredas belongingto a new Mexico has the greatest diversity of species. Sabal with 7 of the 15 known species (Zona1990). The Yucatan Peninsulacom- Sabal gretheriae sp. nov. prises the states of Campeche, Quero, Quintana (figs. l-6). Roo and Yucatan, where 3 wild speciesof Sabal occur, S. mauritiifonzis (Karsten) Palma mediocris usque ad 8 m alta, Grisebach & H. A. W'endland, S. mexi- trunco 20-30 cm diametro. Folia magna, canaMartius and S. yapa lVright ex Bec- Iamina ca. 2 m lata, petiolis apice 3-4 cm cari (Quero 1989). latis, glabris, hastulalonge acuminata, gla- I conducted a recent survey on the bra, marginibus incurvatis, 13-22 crn 'oPalmas de la Peninsula de Yucat6n" longa, segmentisnumerosis, unicostalis. comprisingintensive field work in order to costa media prominente, venis transver- verify distribution ranges of some of the salibus conspicuis uterque paginis, seg- species,as well as to confirm the identity mentis centralibususque ad 1.30 m longis, of somepalms for which I had not enough 7 cm latis, apice bifurcatis, palman lon- material. Collectingflowers and fruits from gitudine Vtlaminae, sinubusfiliferis. Inflo- a Sabal population growing in the north- rescentiae ascendentes,folias non exce- easternportion of the Peninsula,I noticed dentes,I.80-2.00 m longae,ramosissimae. that these palms, while having a strong Flores albi, fragrantes, calyce costato, similarity to Sabal mexicana, did not cor- urceolatovel cupulato,ca. 1.5 mm longo, respond with the latter species nor with petalis spathulatis siccatis costatis, 5 mm the other taxa commonly occurring in the longis, filamentis ca. 5 mm longis, antheris Yucatan Peninsula. Because this eeo- 1.2-I.5 mm longis, pistillo conico ca. 4 graphic region is locatedclose to Cuba, I mm longo, apice papilloso.Fructus subglo- assumedthat it could be a Cuban species, bosi vel pyriformes, nigri, l6-20 mm lati, such as Sabal m.aritima (Kwth) Burret 16-18 mm alti. Semina subglobosavel or S. palrnetlo (Walt.) Loddigesex J. A. ovata-depressa,base plerunque manifeste & J. H. Schultes(sensu Zona 1990). In apiculata; micropyle supraequatoriali. order to clarify the situation, I examined Typus: Mexico, Quintana Roo, 4 km S of herbarium and living wild specimens in Chiquila on road to Kantunilkin, Quero Cuba. 3592 (Holotypus MEXU; isotypi CICY, After studying the Cuban materials, I NY, UAMIZ, US). PRINCIPES lVoL. 35

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Medium-sizedpalm to ca. 8 m tall; trunl 20-30 cm diam., with persistentpetiole basesonly near the crown. Leaflarge, with blademore than 2 m diam.;petioles 1.20- I.40 m long, 5-6 cm wide in the middle and 3-4 cm wide at the apex; hastula narrowly triangular to acuminate, 15-22 cm long, glabrous, never lepidote, with incurved to erect margin, never flat; seg- ments 100-120, robust, the middle ones 1.10-L30 m long, 6*7 crn wide,with a prominent midvein and very conspicuous transverse veinlets on both surfaces, seg- ment apicesbifid for 30-40 cm, generally breaking at the apex; palman 40-50 cm long, filiferous at the sinusesat least in the smallersegments, the bladefrom the larger segments frequently marginally broken above the sinus in a narrow strip 5-11 mm wide.Inflorescence appressed-ascend- ing with 3 orders of branching, not exceed- ing the ,1.80-2.0 m long, with 25- 28 primary branches;rachillae 9-ll cm Iong, l-1.2 mm diam. in the lowermost 2. Habit of Sabal gretheriae in the type locality. primary branches. white, fragrant, 4-4.5 mm long; calyx urceolateto cupu- late, trilobed, I.5-2 mm long, strongly tana Roo: 4 km S. of Chiquil6on the road costatewhen dry; petals spathulate,nar- to Kantunilkin, Quero 3592 (Holotype row ca. 4 mm long, I.5 mm wide, ascend- MEXU, isotypesCICY, NY, UAMIZ, US); ing to spreadingat anthesis,strongly cos- 2 km S of Chiquil6 on the road to Kan- tate when dry; filamentsca. 5 mm long, tunilkin, Orellana 83 1; 3 km S of Chiquil6 anthers 1.2-L5 mm long, pistil conical on the road to Kantunilkin, Orellana 837; ca. 4 mm long, with papilloseapex, ovary 4 km S of Chiquil5 on the road to Kan- I.2 1,.5mm high. Fruit globularto glob- tunilkin, Quero 3588;3.5 km S of Chiquil6 ular-pyriform,16-20 mm diam., 16-IB on the road to Kantunilkrn, Quero 3591; mm high, black at maturity, epicarp 2.5 km S of Chiquil6on the road to Kan- smooth,mesocarp fleshy to 4 mm thick. tunilkin, Quero 3596 (all CICY). Seed subgloboseto irregularly depressed In addition, numerous measurements ovoid,not concave,9.5-12.2 mm diam., were made from randomly distributed 6-9 mm high, frequently strongly apicu- plantsin the population. late at the base by the funicular remnant, This species is named in honor of to 2.2 mm high; embryo supraequatorial. RosauraGrether of the Department of Bot- Specimensexam.ined,: MEXICO: Quin- any, Universidad Autonoma Metropoli-

l. Sabal gretheriae. a) general appearance of the palm; b) part of the ; c) rachilla with flowers; d) open ; e) flower bud; f) dried flower; g) fruiting branches; h) flowering branches; i) fruits; j) seeds; k) cross section of seed. PRINCIPES [Vor. 35

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3. Close-upof a racbilla with open flowers. 4. Primary branch with fruits. tana-Iztapalapa, who collected palms with seeds, 7-9 mm high with an irregular out- the author for many years. line, while S. mexicanahas segments 3.2 Distribution: The new speciesis only 5.3 cm wide, an arcuate inflorescence, known to date in the vicinity of Chiquil6, obovate to oblong petals, and obloid con- Quintana Roo, a small coastaltown located cave seeds,5.7-7.4 mm high. In addition, in front of Hohox Island at the north- some anatomical differences exist between easternmostpoint of the Yucatan Penin- them, both in type and distribution of the sula. bundle sheath extensions and the small This palm is abundant in this restricted adaxial vascular bundles; S. mexicanahas area, growing under disturbed conditions, no extensions of the major vascular bun- on sandy-loamplane soils. At the limit of dles and also has 3-7 small vascular bun- its distribution, it grows in associationwith dles between the major ones; S. gretheriae Sabal yapa and Acrocomia mexicana has extensions in the major vascular bun- Karw. ex Martius. dles and 7-9 small vascular bundles. The Sabal gretheriae can be confused in caryotype of the new species comprises I 4 the Yucatan Peninsula with S. rnexicana metacentric pairs, B of them with satellites becauseof the unicostate segments,large and 4 submetacentric pairs, I of them with fruits and petals costate when dry. How- satellites, while S. mexicana has l4 meta- ever, both species can readily be dis- centric pairs, 4 of them with satellites and tinguished because the former has the 4 submetacentric pairs (Palomino, per- broadestleaf segments6-7 cm, appressed- sonal comrmrnication). Furthermore, S. ascending inflorescences,spathulate pet- rnexicana grows only in the southwestern als, and spheroidaldepressed not concaye portion of the Peninsula, in the state of L99rl QUERO:NEU/ SABAL

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5. Variation in fruit shape (bar indicates I cm). 6. Variation in seed shape (bar indicates I cm).

Campeche, and flowering from January to from the two apparently more related April, while S. gretheriae grows only in Cuban species by the petals costate when the northeast, in the state of Quintana Roo, dry. Other differences between them are and flowers from May to August. as follows: The new species can be distinguished PRINCIPES [Vor. 35

Table. Comparison of the new specieswith tuo others.

Sabal gretheriae Sabal maritima

Segments 6-7 cm wide 2.4 5.3 cm 2.5-4.2 cm Hastula glabrous lepidote lepidote or glabrescent Calyx 1.2-1.5mm long 1.5-2.2mm I.3 2.4 mm Petals spathulate, costate obovate, non-costate spathulate non-costate Fruit 16-20 mm diam. 8.5-14.2 mm diam. Ll-13.9 mm diam. 14-16 mm high 8.4-12.6 mm high 8 13.8 mm high Seed spheroid depressed obloid concave obloid concave 9.5 12 mm diam. 6.5-9.7 mm diam. 5.4 9.7 mm diam. 6-9 mm high 4.5 6.2 mm high 4-7 mm high

Also, it should be noted that the new depressed,nol concave. 6 9 mmm high,..,.,.. speciescan be distinguishedfrom S. paL S- gretheriaeoretheri metto by the widely spacednerves and its very prominent transverse veinlets. Acknowledgments I wishto expressmy appreciationto the Key to the SabalSpecies Centro de Investigaci6n Cientifica de from the YucatanPeninsula Yucatan(CICY) and to CONACyT (grant: l. Leaf segments with 3 prominent nerves, the Al28CCOE891345(8I-2)), both of them central one more prominent than the lateral; madepossible a sabbaticperiod at Merida, petals not costate when dry Yucatan,which was essential for this work. 2. Leaves with a small costa. and short nalman I wish to expressa specialacknowledgment the segments thus droopingl segments soft to Dr. RogerOrellana, researcher at CICY and silvery beneath; inflorescence with 4 orders of branching ...-...... -...-S. mauritiiformis for his assistanceduring the realization of 2. Leaves with a large costa, strongly curved this work, Dr. Fernando Chiang for his with long palman; segments hard and green assistancewith the Latin descriptionoand beneath; inflorescence with 3 orders of Dr. RobertBye and Biol. Jos6Arellano for branching S. yapa 1. Leaf segments with I prominent central nerve; criticalJyreviewing the manuscript. petals costate when dry 3. Trunk with persistent bases in at least Lnnnerunn Crrsrl the upper Vt; largest leaf segments 3-5.5 cm wide; inflorescence arcuate; petals obo- Betrny, L. H. 1944. Revision of the American vate to oblong; seeds obloid, concaye 5 ?.4 palmettos.Gent. Herb. 6(7): 367-459. mm high ...-...-...... S. mexicana Qutno, H. J. I989. Flora gen6ricade Arecaceas 3. Trunk with persistent petiole bases only at de M6xico. Tesis Doctoral, Facultad de Ciencias, the top; largest leaf segments 6-7 cm wide; U.N.A.M. M6xico. inflorescence appressed-ascending; petals ZoNe,S. I990. AmonographofSabal(: spathulate; seeds spheroidal to ovoid Coryphoideae).Aliso I2(4): 583-666.