l9B8l READ: NEW PRITCHARDIA Principes,32(4), 1988, pp. 135-139 A New Pritchardia from Kaua'i, Hawai'i

RoennrW. Raeo Curator, Department of Botany, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560

While preparing a manuscript on the undescribed species which I am naming "Manual palms for the of The Flowering for the wettest spot on earth, Mt. of Hawai'i," under the auspices of Wai'ale"ale. the Bernice P. Bishop Museum in Hono- Iulu, I was told of the great confusion that Pritchardiawaialealeana R. W. Read. persisted among the taxa of Pritchardia sp. nov. along the Pole Line Trail (Power Line Trail) leading over the Makaleha Mountains from Complexui P. remota affinis. Palma Hanalei to Lihue on the island of Kaua'i. robustissima t0-20 m alta, caudice 30- Derral Herbst told me of Earl Bishop's 50 cm diam., laevi et griseo; corona magna, report on the confusion among the three foliis ca. 40; lamina ceraceo-glauca vel species described from the area. Bishop pallide viridis, abaxiliter lepidiis dispersis reported that the tallest plants were P. cinerascentibus obsita; costa prope lami- hardyi, the shortest plants with the nae basem glabra vel glabrescens; inflo- exlremely long inflores""rr"", *"r" P. rescentia petiolum aequans vel brevior; ueissichiana and that P. uiscosa could rachillae glabrae; fructus parvus; semen not be found. In addition, he said he thought ovoideum, 12 13 mm longum, l7-l8 there was an undescribed species. In a latum. Typus: HAWAI'I, Kaua'i, R. W. letter from Don Hodel I was informed that Read et al., 87 211 (Holotypus US; iso- "P. hardyi . . . approach(ed) 30 meters typi BISH, HLA, LHB, PTBG). in height . . . much more than.the 6-8 Very large palms up to about 20 m or meters reported for P. ttiscosa." Hodel more high; trunk very robust 30-50 cm "The also said, way to distinguish P. hardyi or more in diameter, smooth and gray. from P. weissichiana which grows with it Crown rather large with more than 40 is by height. The former is constantly taller, leaves; sheath ca. 40 60 cm long, soon averaging 25 m in height. In addition, the becoming matted fibrous; petiole excluding abaxial leaf surface is not densely tomen- the sheath ca. 60 cm long, ca. 5.5 cm tose, at least not like P. ueissichiana." wide at the sheath insertion, ca. 4 cm wide Hodel (1980: 73) referred to an unde- at the hastula, at first thinly velutinous scribed species discovered by Robert adaxially, lightly lepidote abaxially, but Hobdy, past Forestry Officer on Kaua'i, densely so along the margins; blade cos- who felt it was different and that further tapalmate ca. 80-100 cm wide, waxy- study was needed. Among the specimens glaucous to pale green; rachis ca. 20-30 at Pacific Tropical Botanical Gardens and cm long; palman ca. 75 cm deep, with a The Bishop Museum I have not found any fragile thread-like filament extending in the that do not fit accepted species. However, sinus between each segment; abaxial cos- following my recent explorations on Kaua'i tae at the base of the blade densely but with great assistance from Tim Flynn of fugaceously tan-lepidote.continuous onto the Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden, I the petiole, soon glabrous; adaxial costae now believe I have unravelled the myster- densely and fugaceously gray-lepidote; ies of the Pole Line Trail and can state hastula triangular, ca. 5 cm wide, 3.5 cm with confidence that there is indeed an long, at first velutinous basally, glabrous PRINCIPES [Vor. 32

shorl Pritcharclia naialealeana (type ). close up of the crown showing the naked petioles and inflorescences, and large number of leaves' apically and marginally; segrrientsca.70- spirally arranged,2-B mm apart, each of 75 in number, ca. I20 cm long (from which subtendedby a very small 2-S rnm rachis), ca. 4-5.5 cm wide at widest point, lone subulate bracteole; (mature flowers bifid into very slender to filamentous apices noi available). Fruit small' (subpyriform ca.8-12 cm long. when mature?), frequently with two car- Inflorescence ca. ll0-120 cm long' pels developed;seed ovoid, l2-I3 mm equal or shorter than the petiole, usually long by t7-18 mm broad. divided near the base within the first SpecimensExamined: Kaua'i; on pedunclar bract into two main branching Kualaparidge near district boundary,along systems; prophyll 2-keeled, glabrescent; the Power Line Trail, February 1987' R. peduncular bracts tubular, very lightly W. Read. E. M. Read, S. Wiser, T- W. (inconspicuously) Iepidote, mostly gla- Flynn& D. K. Harder 87'211(Holotype brate, perforated obliquely; panicle rather US; isotypesBISH, HLA, LHB, PTBG); large, glabrous in every part, spreadingly North of Kualapa ridge in Hanalei District, divided into several primary branches, low- along the Power Line Trail, 4 December ermost panicle branches bearing spirally, 1987, R. W. Read, E. M. Read, T. W' as 10-12 Flynn and K. Wood 87-261(US; FTG); at different heights, as many "scattered floriferous branchlets, the lowest of which, Pole Line Trail, Hanalei side, at times, divide again, or are forked; upper through dying Ohia forest," 1,480', 3l branches simple; rachis ca. 20-30 cm long May 1972, L. E. Bishop & D. Herbst rachillae 8-I2 cmlong, glabrous, subulate 1279 (HAW). apically, with sessile flowers uncrowded, D i st r ibuti on:EndemiconKaua' i. Viewed r9B8l READ:NEW PRITCHARDIA

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2. Pritchardia waialealeana, photographed against a backdrop of Mt. Wai'ale'ale, showing the symmetrical crown with numerous leaves. Photographed along the Powel Line Trail near its didde over a spur of the Makaleha mounralns. from the Power Line Trail out of Lihue at and P. uiscosa about 450-800 m elevation, this species described by J. F. Rock (in Beccari and is easily recognized because of its massive Rock I92I). The latter species was "one size, and can be seen as tall robust palms described from a collection mile north with symmetrically globose crowns grow- of Summit Camp and'two miles east of ing along the slopes and ridges running Pole Line Trail, elevation 2,000 feet, in from the Makaleha Mountains to the ridges Kalihiwai Valley, windward side of the below the summit called Wai'ale'ale on island." Pritchardia hardyi on the other "on Kaua'i. This species is named for Mt. hand was collected the Lihue side alone Wai'ale'ale, purported to be the wettest the Pole Line Trail near Summit Curnp. spot on earth. Subsequent observations by I900 feet elevation." Later a third species helicopter have confirmed the extensive was described from the same reeion of population and distribution. Kaua'i, Pritchardia weissichiaia also There has clearly been considerable describedby J. F. Rock (1962), but forty- "beyond confusion in the past regarding the palms one years later, from the ridge seen along the Power Line Trail which runs which terminates the Pole Line Trail, over- from Lihue to Hanalei. Sometimes known looking Lihue, altitude 2,500 feet". All as the Pole Line Trail, it is no doubt a three species were described as having "lower regular avenue for collectors and has been leaves with their surface densely cited at various points as localities for sev- tomentose with appressed light golden yel- eral species of palms. The earliest were low, much fringed (confluent gray) lepidia PRINCIPES [Vor. 32

ooresembles according to Rock P. hardyi "is in fruit only"; and at once distinguished from other Hawaiian Pritchardias by the long spadix," etc. Discounting calyx mea- surements, fruit size and shape, and length of inflorescence, all of which vary consid- erably or cannot be used satisfactorily in this case, I must consider these last two a sinsle taxon. fh"- Pol" Line Trail and the region of Mt. Wai'ale'ale and Mt. Kahili are the only verified localities so far in the Hawaiian Islands where two or more distinct species of Pritchardla are found growing sym- patrically. Five species of Pritchardlo are now recoenized on the island of Kaua'i, the oldes't of the principal islands. They can be distinguished by the following key:

l. Leaves densely and completely tomentoseJep- idote, silvery-white to subaureous beneath ---.,.2 l. Leaves green or glaucous, glabrous or gla- brescent, definitely not tomentose beneath ..,,. 4 3. From the top to the bottom ofthe pile, a complete 2. Inflorescence greatly exceeding the petiole, inflorescence, the abaxial and adaxial leaf surfaces, usually greatly exceeding the entire leaf; rach- and hastular regions of the type specimen of Prit- illae scarcely velutinous, hairs not obscuring chardia waialealeana, photographed in the tyPe the base of the flowers at anthesis; Makaleha localitY' Mts., Power Line Trail P. hardYi equaling or shorter than the pet- in the young and old leaves'1; and petioles 2. Inflorescence , iole ..-...-...-.,,,.--J covered ("beneath' in the lower half" or o'on "deep 3. Rachillae densely velutinous, the hairs nearly both margins" at least) with a -'cov- obscuring the base of the flowers at anthesis; rufous lomentum"' and the rachillae flower buds not sticky; Kokee State Park and ered with a rufous to salmon-colored Alakai Swamp ...... --P- minor "coarsely 3. Rachillae glabrous; flower buds very sticky; tomentum," or yellowish white Power Line Trail towards Hanalei -, P. uiscosa none of which is characteristic of villose," 4. Plants of small stature; trunk ca. 18 20 cm this new taxon. in diam.; leaf blades rather flat, not wavy or All three previously described species undulate: lower costae, at the base of the blade' from the Pole Line Trail were compared and the petiole densely tan woolly; crown with than 25 leaves; valleys of Na Pali coast with other species using fewer by their author ...... -P. napaliensis char- fruit size and shape, an unreliable 4. Plants of massive stature; trunk ca. 30* cm acter at best except for extremes. Prit' in diam.; leaf blades strongly folded, undulate; chardia Discosa was otherwise distin- lower costae, at the base of the blade, and "decidedly very early glabrescent or lightly lepi- guished by its viscous petiole dote; crown with more than 40 leaves; slopes and corolla." How- inflorescence, calyx, of Mt. Waialeale to Power Line trail ,-,..,....-....-... ever, it also differs from Pritchardia har' P. waialealeana dyi and P. weissichiano in its very short inflorescence. Pritchardia hardyi Rock, "one Acknowledgments said to be of the tallest species," is "distinguished . . . in the long drooping I would like to thank everyone at the spadix." Pritchardia weissichiana Bishop Museum and Pacific TroPical r9881 READ:NEW PRITCHARDIA r39

BotanicalGarden, especially Derral Herbst to Dr. William Dress, ProfessorEmeritus, and Tim Flynn respectively,Paul Weissich L. H. BaileyHortorium for the Latin diag- of the Foster Botanical Garden for infor- nosis; and to Dr. John Dransfield for crit- mation regarding his namesake, Susan ically reading lhe manuscript. Wiser (my research technician) for climb- ing the new palm, and my wife Betsy, for LrrrReruRn Crrno their tremendous contributions to studies BrcceRI,O. eroJ. F. Rocr. 1921. Amonographic on this new species.World Wildlife Fund study of the genus Pritchardia. Mem. Bernice US and the Smithsonian Institution Pauahi Bi5hopMus.8(l): I 77. Research Opportunities Fund provided Rocr, J. F. 1962. A New Hawaiian Pritchardia, financial support for fieldwork in Hawai'i, Occas. Pap. Bernice Pauahi Bishop Mus. 23(4): 6r-63. and the Seed Bank of the International Holrr. D. R. 1980. Noteson Pritchardia in . Palm Societyhelped with funding to collect Princines24: 73. seed.Last but not least my sincere thanks

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