Principes,36(4t, 1992, pp. 203 2).6

Current Status of Mexican Palms

Hnnuno J. Qunno Jardin Botanico, Instituto de Biologia, Unioersidad Nacional Autonoma de , Apdo Post. 70-614, Mexico, O4510, D.F.

Mexico is a country of approximately and Uhl (1986), three of the six subfam- 2 million square kilometers. It has one of ilies(Figs. 1 3); six ofthe 14 tribes,seven the world's richest floras due to the great of the 36 subtribes,and 22 of the 200 diversity of environmental conditions generafor the world occurin Mexico.Each determined by several factors such as lat- is discussedbriefly and the ecology itude, altitude, and topography, that pro- of the palmsconsidered in a separatesec- duce several well defined physiographic tion. regions: Western Sierra Madre, Eastern Sierra Madre, Trans-volcanic Belt, (Fis. a) Southern Sierra Madre, High Mexican Pla- This Central American genus is repre- teau, Coastal Plains along both the Pacific sented in Mexico by two species: C. argen- and the Gulf of Mexico, and the Lowlands teaH.Bartlett and C. nana(Kwth) Blume. and Plains of the Yucatan Peninsula. The former grows in the Yucatan Penin- Twenty-two genera of native palms have sula and in the states of and Chia- been recorded from Mexico. It is not pos- pas and is an important element of some sible, however, to give an accurate esti- median evergreen forests. Cryosophila mate of the total number of species because nana grows on the Pacific slopes in median some genera are still under revision and evergreen and deciduous forests, as well there are some nomenclatural and taxo- as in pine-oak forest from to Naya- nomic problems. It is probable that there rit. are about 100 species in Mexico. The of both species are used to Some of the genera occurring in Mexico make brooms. are typically Mexican, for all or most of their species are present in Mexico, such (Figs.5,6) as Brahea, Erythea, Washingtonia, and Sabal. Some other species are South This Antillean genus has only one spe- American, having Mexico as their north- cies in Mexico; 7. radiata Lodd. ex J. A. ernmost distribution limit and being rep- and J. H. Schult., growing only in the resented there by a few species, as is the Yucatan Peninsula in median evergreen case with Scheelea, Orbignya, Geonorna, forest of the state of and in Bactris, and Acrocomia. Other genera are sand dunes forests of Quintana Roo and mainly Central American, such as Cryo- Yucatan. The former individualscan reach sophila and Synechanfhzs; while others heights of up to 15 m, while in the dunes are typically Antillean, such as Pseudo- individuals are no more than 3 m tall. p ho enix, Co c co thr inax, Thr inax, R oy st o- The common name of this species is "chit." nea, and Acoelorraphe, and a few others, Its leavesare usedto makebrooms such as Chamaedorea, have a wide dis- and to thatch beachhouses, while the trunk tribution in Tropical America. is used in the construction of rustic houses Followine the classification of Dransfield and to make lobstertraps.

't': \: PRINCIPES [Vor-.36

I. Map showing the distribution of subfamily in Mexico.

2. Map showing the distribution of subfamily in Mexico. r ootl QUERO:MEXICAN PALMS

3. Map showing the distribution of subfamily Arecoideae in Mexico'

Coccothrinax (Figs. 6,12,I9) mainly on terrains flooded with either brackish or fresh water, in the Peninsula This genus is of Antillean origin, with of Y-ucatan and in the states of Tabasco, C. readii the solespecies occurring Quero. Chiapas, and Veracruz. This palm grows in Mexico and endemic to the Yucatan in clusters. When it grows in soils with Peninsula. Curiously, its distribution coin- individuals are no more cides largely with that of Thrinax radiatct. abundant water, the C. readii mainly grows near the coast, than 2 m tall, while in places with good never more than 20 km inland. In the state soil and not much water, they can reach of Roo it is found as an important upto4m. Quintana "tasiste" element of the median evergreen forest, The common name is and the where it can attain heights of up to 5 m, trunks are used to make rustic houses and and has very thin trunks. It also grows in fences. sand dune vegetation in Quintana Roo and Yucatan, where its trunk is thick and no (Fig. morethan2mtall. Brahea 8) The species is known by the common Typically a Mexican genus, all species "knakas." name of The trunks are used growing in Mexico and only B. dulcis for making rustic constructions and the extending to Cuatemala and . The leaves to manufacture brooms. species are: Brahea berlandieri H. Bart- lett, in the states of Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, (Fig. Acoelorraphe 7) Tamaulipas, and Hidalgo; B. decumbens A monospecific genus, very abundant Rzedowski, in San Luis Potosi and Tamau- in Mexico; A. utrightii H. Wendland, grows lipas; B. moorei L. H. Bailey ex H. E. 206 PRINCIPES lVoL. 36

4. growingin an oak forest of . 5. growing on sandsof northern Quintana Roo. 6. Palm grove of readii and Thrinax radiata on sand dunes of Yuca- tan. 7. Acoelorraphe nrightii in savannaswith terrains flooded of .

Moore, in Hidalgo, San Luis Potosi and stonesoils at elevationsof 600-2,000 m. Tamaulipas; B. nitida Andre, in , The leavesof mostspecies are employed , and Chiapas;and B. dulcisMar- for thatching simple houses and to make tius, the most abundant species with a wide many kinds of handicraftssuch as hats, distribution range, from Chiapas to Gue- baskets.fans. etc. The fruits of B. dulcis rrero on the Pacific slope and to Puebla, are edible. Hidalgo, San Luis Potosi, Veracruz, and I am considering Brahea as different Tamaulipas on the Gulf of Mexico slope. from Erythea until I finish the study of All the species of this genus grow on lime- both genera, including more field explo- r oorl QUERO:MEXICAN PALMS

8. Brahea berlandieri in disturbed areas of low deciduous forest at Nuevo Leon. 9. Erythea brandegei growing near a river bank at Baja California Sur. 10. Secondary palm grove of Sabal gretheriae at northern Quintana Roo. 11. Washingtonia robusta growing in a dry river bed of Baja California Sur.

ration, as well as chromosome, anatomical, extending to , , El Sal- and pollen studies. vador, and Honduras. The species are: Erythea(Fige) l:{'T":::l;;'3\i;,3#l*';;ilH1. A genuswith sevenspecies, all of them fornia; E. brand'egeiPurpus, in Bala Cal- occurring in Mexico, with one species ifornia Sur; E. clara L. H' Bailey, in PRINCIPES [Vor. 36

ilc. *** :

12. Primary palm grove with and Coccothrinax readii on sands at northern Yucatan. 13. Chamaedorea pochutlensis in a median eyergreen forest in Jalisco. 14. Orbignya gua- cuvutesrowins in a medianeversreen a.;:#:1 rs. Rovstonearegia and sabat :::ril.ltx."T;l|-*

Sonora; E. edulis (H. A. Wendland) S. E. salaadorensls(Beccari) H. E. Moore, W'atson,in Isla Guadalupe,Baja Califor- in Chiapas,Cuatemala, Belize, El Salva- nia; E. elegans ? Franceschi,in Sonora; dor, and Honduras. I have found some E. pimo (Beccari)H. E. Moore, in Cuerr- populationsof this genusfor which a tax- ero, Michoacanand State of Mexico; and onomicposition is not yet clear in Sonora, r992) QUERO:MEXICAN PALMS 209

16. Acrocomia mexicana and Scheelea liebmannii in a grassland of Tabasco. 17. Geonoma oxycarpa growing in a high erergreen forest of Veracruz. Astrocaryum mexicanum in the background'

Sinaloa, and Jalisco. The species of this ' Sabal (Figs.10,i9) grow on soils derived from genus always A genuswith about 16 species,seven rocks, never in limestone soils as igneous of them occurring in Mexico. They are: the range of Erythea is does Brahea; Sab al maur itiifu r mi s (Karsten)Crisebach the northwest Pacific slope. mostly on & H. Wendland, occurring in the states of these palms are used for The leaves of Roo, Campeche, Tabasco, houses and to make some Quintana thatching rustic Chiapas,Oaxaca, and Veracruz;S. pumos typical handicrafts. (Kunth) Burret, in Michoacan;S. rosei(O. F. Cook)Beccari, in Guerrero,Jalisco, and Washingtonia (Fig. ll) ; S. uresana Trelease,in Sonora, A genus with two species: Washing- and Chihuahra; S. yapa Wright, in the tonia filifera (Linden) H. Wendland and Yucatan Peninsula;S. mexicana Martius, W. robusta H. Wendland,both occurring which is the most widely widespreadspe- in Mexico; the former growsin Baja Cal- cies, from Campecheto Tamaulipasin the ifornia, while the latter occurs in Baja Cal- coastal plains of the Gulf of Mexico and, ifornia, Baja California Sur, and Sonora. from Chiapasto Guerrero along the Pacific Washingtonia robusta is the most slopes,from sealevel to 2,000 m; and S. widely cultivated ornamentalpalm in Mex- gretheriae Quero, a new speciesrecently ico. It can be found from warm areas at describedfrom Quintana Roo. sealevel in the Yucatan Peninsula,to high Sabal dugessll S. Watson ex L. H. and cool placessuch as Mexico City. Bailev. was describedfrom one cultivated 2r0 PRINCIPES [Vor. 36

,,. t?,, i"Y. ir'd.' }\..' 'i t,. lr rl: T8 ".:&

I I 19

LB. Bactris balanoidea growing in terrains flooded at Tabasco. 19. Rustic house built with trunks of Coccothrinax readii and thatched with leaves of Sabal yapa ar Quintana Roo. r9921 QUERO:MEXICAN PALMS 2TI

individual from Rincon de Bustos, a small story element in high eyergreen forest in town in the state of Guanajuato.This indi- restricted areas of the statesof Oaxaca, vidual is more than 20 m tall and is still Veracruzand Chiapas. growing near a river bank. Zona (1990) This palm is usually acaulescent. considersthis speciesand S. pumos as conspecific. Gaussia Sabal is one of the most economically Gaussiais representedin Mexico by G. important genera of palms in Mexico, rnaya (O. F. Cook) & R. W. Read mainly for rural people, who use it in dif- Quero and.G. gomez-pompae(Quero) the ferent ways. The leaves are used for Quero, former occurring in southern Roo thatching. Residentsof hot humid climates Quintana near the boundary with Belize and Gua- know by experiencethat roofs made with temala, while the latter occurs in the states these palms are superior to those made of Oaxacaand Tabasco.Opsiandra O. F. with any other natural material. Young Cook has beenshown to be coneenericwith leaves are used to make different kinds of Gaussia(Quero and Read I986). handicrafts; trunks are used for construc- The two speciesare important elements tion and as poles.S. mexicana is alsoused of high and median evergreen forests, as a source of edible palm hearts ("pal- where they reach more than 15 m tall, mito") and the fruits are used as supple- always growing on limestone-derivedsoils mentary food for pigs. very similar to the Cuban "mogotes." Pseudophoenix (Fig. l2) Chamaedorea (Fig. t3) A genus representedin Mexico by one This is the genus with more speciesin species,Pseudophoenix sargentii H. Mexicothan any other; more than 40 spe- Wendland ex Sargent, which as other cies have been reported. However, it is not membersof the genus,is typically an Antil- possible to establish the exact number, lean insular species. Mexico is the only becausethere are speciesonly known from place where this palm grows on continental old descriptions and type specimensand land. Its distribution is restricted to the not yet found again, and some species Yucatan Peninsula.In northern Yucatan known from Guatemala have now been it is very abundant on sand dunes, while found in Mexico. Others specieshave been in Roo it occursas an important Quintana described recently, and finally the taxo- element of some median and low forests nomic positionof somespecies is not clear. but is not as abundant as in the dunes. Thus far, I have found 35 of the following It is interestingto mention that in south- 5l speciesreported for Mexico: Ch. ern Roo, this palm was found ffinis Quintana Liebmann, Ch. ahernans H. Wendland, growing 30 km inland, the farthest inland Ch. arenbergianaH. Wendland,Ch. atro- record known within its range. uirens Martius, Ch. cataractarum Mar- I Its common name is "kukA" and it is titr;rs,Ch. concolor Martius, Ch. elatior much appreciated as an ornamental in t Martius, Ch. elegansMartius, Ch. ernesti- parks and gardens. augusti H. Wendland, Ch. erumpensH. Synechanthus E. Moore, Ch. ferruginea H. E. Moore, Ch. foueata D. R. Hodel, Ch. fractif.exa A palm representedin Mexico by Syne- D. R. Hodel & J. J. Castillo,Ch. geonom.i- chanthus f.brosus (H. Wendland) H. forrnis H. Wendland, Ch. glaucifulia H. Wendland (syn. S. mexicanus H. E. Wendland,Ch. humilis Martius, Ch. kar- Moore). There are very few Mexican col- winskyana H. Wendland, Ch. klotz- lectionsof this palm, which growsas under- schiana H. Wendland, Ch. lepidota H. 2t2 PRINCIPES [Vor. 36

Wendland, Ch. liebmannii Martits, Ch. (Kunth) O. F. Cook, in a small region at lindeniana H. Wendland, Ch. martiana the north of the state of Yucatan, and R. H. Wendland,Ch. metallica (O. F. Cook) dunlapiana inthe southern Quintana Roo, H. E. Moore,Ch. m.icrospadixBwtet, Ch. Campeche, Tabasco, Chiapas, and Vera- monostachysBurret, Ch. montana Lieb' cruz. Ch. neurochlam'ys Burret, Ch.. Both species grow on flooded soils. The mann, "palma nubium Standley & Steyermark, Ch' common names are real" and o'yaqua." oblongata Martius, Ch. oreophila Mar- They are much appreciated as tius, Cft. paradox,a H. Wendland, Ch. ornamentals. paruisectaBurret, Ch. pochutlenslsLieb- Scheelea (Fig.16) marrn,Ch. pulchra Burret, Ch. queroana in Mex' D. R. Hodel, Ch. radicalis Martius, C/2. Apparentlythree species occur a rhizom.atosaD. R. Hodel,Ch. rigidaH. ico. Scheelea liebmannii Beccari has 'Wendland, Ch. rojasiana Standley & broad distribution range in the Gulf of Cam- Stevermark. Ch. sartorii Liebmann, Cb. Mexico slope from Tamaulipas to ,cind.ensliebmann, Ch. schiedeanaMar- peche and S. preusii Burret appears in a tfus, Ch. schippii Burret, Ch. seifrizii small area of the state of Chiapas. There Burret, Ch. simplex Burret, Ch- stolonif' are some reports of S. lundellii H. Bart- eraH. Wendland,Ch. tenellaH. Wend- Iett, in Chiapas near the Guatemalan bor- land, Ch. tepejilote Liebmann, Ch. tuerclt- der, but I have not been able to find it. heimii (Dammer)Burret, Ch. uistaeD. R. The species of this genus, mainlY S. Hodel & N. Uhl, Ch. whitelockiana D. liebrnannii, form secondary rather dense are R. Hodel & N. Uhl. palmetto groves on clay areas which Most of the speciesoccur in shaded subject to periodic flooding. The fruits are for places,in high or median evergreenfor- used to make cookies and the leaves oak forests. thatching rustic houses. The common ests, or in cloud forests and "palma "corozo" are much appreciatedas ornamen- names are realr" and. They ttmanaca.tt tals and the leaves of some specieshave decorativeuses. Orbignya (Fig. Ia) Reinhardtia This South American genus is repre- A genus with two species in Mexico: sentedin Mexicoby two species,Orbignya Reinhardtia eLegansLiebmann, occur- cohune(Martius) Dahlgren ex Standley,in areasof Oaxacaand Chiapas ring in small Tabasco,Chiapas, and QuintanaRoo and, and, R. gracilis. The latter has two vari- O. guacuyule (Liebmannex Martius)Her- eties,R. gracilis (H. Wendland)Drude ex nandez-X.,on the Pacificslope from Chia- (Burret) E. Dammer var. gracilior H' pas to Nayarit. Whether O. guacuyule is Moore,which occursin Veracruz,Oaxaca, distinct is dubiousbecause it is very similar (H' Tabasco,and Chiapasand, R. gracilis to O. cohune. There are only small dif- Wendland) Drude ex Dammer vat. ten' ferencesin the flowers. uissirna H. E. Moore, that occurs in Both speciesoccur in high or median Oaxaca. evergreenforests, but sometimesform very Thesepalms are understory elementsof dense secondary groves. The common oocorozo." high and median evergreenforests. name for both is Roystonea (Fig. l5) Acrocomia (Fig. l6) In Mexico Roystonea is cultivated in almost all the tropical areas. In the wild, Acrocomia mexicana KarwinskY ex I havefound two species,Roystonea regia Martius, is the only speciesof this genus Lee2l QUERO:MEXICAN PALMS 213

oochocho" "chichon." growing in Mexico. Its populations are not It is known as and very abundant, but it is widel,v distributed, mainly in hot-humid regions. occurring Geonoma(Fig. I7) always in secondary vegetation. It benefits Several species of this genus have been from human disturbance, mainlv bv fire. reported from Mexico however, according 'Wessels Some authors consider this soecies svn- to Boer (1968), only two species onymous wilh Acrocomia i"lerocaipa occr;r, Geonoma oxycarpa Martius and Martius. G. interrupta (Ruiz & Pavon) Martius. The fruits are used to make candy and The former is widely distributed in the "coyol" as a popular medicine. It is called states of Veracruz, Tabasco, Oaxaca, and "cocoyol." and Chiapas, while G. interrupta grows only in a small area of Chiapas. Bactris (Fig. l8) These palms grow in high and median This South American genus with more evergreen forest. than 230 species.is poorl.' representedin Mexico. Five species have been recorded, Calyptrogyne but I have found only two: B. ba.lanoidea A genusrepresented in Mexico by only H. Wendland and B. mexicana Martius. one species,C. ghiesbreghtiana (Linden Both of these grow on flooded soils, on & H. Wendland) H. Wendland, which river banks, in ravines or, in very humid grows in a restrictedarea of the state of soils of tropical regions from Veracruz to Chiapasin median evergreenforest. the Peninsula of Yucatan. The stems of these palms are used to The Ecologyof make baskets and rustic iurniture; the fruits MexicanPalms are edible. They are commonly known as "jahuacte." The Mexican palms occur at many dif- ferent altitudes and latitudes, most at sea Desmoncus leyel or at low altitudes. However, a few species grow at higher levels, for instance This climbing, prickly palm is repre- Bra.hea nitida, which reaches 2,000 m in sented in Mexico apparently by two spe- pine-oak forests, and. Sabal mexicana cies Desmoncus quasillarlas H. Bartlett which can grow near 2,000 m in oak for- in the Peninsula of Yucatan and Tabasco est. Although most palms are found in trop- and D. chinantlensis Martius, in Oaxaca, ical regions, some species extend beyond Chiapas, and Veracruz. They occur typi- the tropics, and reach 32 degrees North cally in secondary vegetation derived from latitude on the Pacific slope, as Washing- high or median evergreen forests. tonia and Erythea spp., while on The stems are used to manufacture bas- f.lifera the coast of the Culf of Mexico, Brahea kets and rustic furniture. They have the "bayal." berlandieri and Sabol mexicana occur up common name of to 28 degrees. Astrocaryum(Fig. t7) Palms can be important elements of diverse vegetation types. They can also be Astrocaryum mexicanum Liebmann ex found as almost pure associations known "palmares," Martius is the only species of the genus as which in some cases can growing in Mexico. It is very abundant in be of primary origin or may be secondarily the tropics, mainly in Chiapas, Tabasco, derived due to human activities. In both "palmares" Oaxaca"and Veracruz, being an important cases the distribution of the is element in the middle story of some high almost always in discontinuous stands of and median evergreen forest. variable extension. 214 PRINCIPES [VoL.36

An interesting example of a palm asso- posed of Pseudophoenix sargentii, Thri- ciation is found in the Yucatan Peninsula, nax radiala, and Coccolhrinax reodii. where Coccothrinax readii and/or Thri- but in some cases the individuals of the nax radiata are abundant in the mid-stra- last two genera are the main elements of tum of median semi-evergreen forests along the associationas in the northeast Yucatan the coast in the state of Quin- and along the coast of Quintana Roo. It is lana Roo. Cryosophila drgenlea is another interesting to note thal Thrinax radiata important element in the physiognomy of forms an almost pure stand along the east- high and median evergreen forests of ern coast of Cozumel island. community is that southern Quintana Roo and Campeche. Another primary palm Gaussia spp. are important in high ever- formed of Acoelorraphe wrightii, which green forests , G. maya in south Quintana is very abundant in savannas that are peri- Roo and G. gomez-pompaeinOaxaca and odically flooded either by brackish or fresh Tabasco. Astrocaryum mexicanum is very water in the Yucatan Peninsula, Tabasco, abundant in the median stratum of high Chiapas, and South Veracruz' The indi- evergreen or semi-evergreen forests of dif- viduals of this speciessometimes constitute ferent regions of Veracruz, Tabasco, dense groups resembling small islands in Oaxaca, and Chiapas. the savanna and they are resistant to the Some palms such as Sabal spp., Schee- periodical fires of the areas. leaspp., and,Orbignya spp., can be impor- Primary palm groves are also found in tant elements oI primary associations, northwestern Mexico, those of Washing- mainly evergreen forests, but they can also tonia f.lifera in Baja California and W. constitute secondary associations. An robusta in Baja California Sur, Baja Cal- interesting case is Sabal spp., when grow- ifornia, and Sonora; Erythea spp., in Baja ing in undisturbed forests, where the indi- California and Sonora, and Washingtonia viduals are generally acaulescent, with large robusta, Erythea clara, and Sabal ure- "palmares" leaves; but when the forests are destroyed, sana in Sonora. These con- mainly by fire in order to make grasslands stitute isolated stands growing on wet soils for cattle, the individuals can reach large or in ravines. "secondary sizes and constitute very dense secondary Among palm groves," palm groves. mainly due to human disturbance, those Other palms occur in several different of Brahea, Orbignya, Scheelea, and Sabal kinds of primary vegetation, but are not are noteworthy. important in the physiognomy of the asso- Brahea dulcis is the most abundant ciation. The genera are: Chamaedorea, species of the genus and is widely distrib- Bactris, Reinhardtia, Geonoma, Calyp- uted. As all speciesof the genus,it is always trogyne, and,Synechanthus. Sorne species found on limestone soils, at elevations over of these palms are small individuals which 800 m and forming almost pure associa- occur in the lower stratum of different tions in disturbed areas. Other species kinds of tropical rain forests, mainly high forming important associations are: Bra- and evergreen forests, such as cloud and hea nitida in Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Chia- oine-oak forests. pas, which is almost always associatedwith "palmares" Among the as a primary disturbed pine-oak forests, and Brahea association occurring in Mexico, we can decumbensinSan Luis Potosi, also appear- mention those of the Peninsula of Yucatan ing in disturbed pine-oak forests. which grow on sand dunes, where the veg- Orbignya also benefits from human dis- etation can be dominated by one to three turbance; Orbignya cohune is found in speciesof palms. On the north coast of the almost pure stands when the natural veg- state of Yucatan exists a palm grove com- etation has been felled; it grows on deep tee2l QUERO:MEXICAN PALMS 215

and well drained soils in southern Quintana As an example of depleted natural palm Roo. The same happens wrth Orbignya populations caused by direct exploitation guacuyule on the Pacific coast from by man is Pseudophoenix sargentii. in Oaxaca to Nayarit, it forms discontinuous the Yucatan Peninsula. This species has stands and is most abundant in , been used as an ornamental. Twelve years Jalisco, and Nayarit. Unfortunately the lat- ago, it was cultivated only in parks and "palmares" ter are being replaced by gardens of small towns near its natural coconut palms in some places. population; but at the present time it is Scheeleais similar to Orbignya; its spe- possible to frnd it cultivated in bigger towns cies as those of the latter. constitute verv and cities very {ar from its natural pop- extended palm groves mainly of S. li"b- ulation, as in the states of Campeche and mannii.It is very abundant along the Gulf Tabasco. Horticulturists do not propagate of Mexico coast, in loamy soils, that can this palm because of its slow growth. They be flooded during part of the year. This usually remove adult individuals from nat- palm grows from South Tamaulipas to ural populations, and as a result this spe- southwestern Campeche. Scheelea preus- cies is now threatened. sil does not form extensive palmettos, but Other examples of palm populations only grows in a reduced area of Chiapas. decreasing, either by direct exploitation or Acrocom.ia mexica.na is the typical palm indirectly by destruction of natural habi- of areas disturbed by man, mainly by fire, tats are, Coccothrinax readii and,Thrinax to establish grazing lands for cattle or for ro,diata, both growing in the Peninsula of agriculture. It is a species with a large Yucatan. The trunks of the former are distribution range in several habitats; but used to make fences and build rustic houses, does not form dense palmettos. as well as cottagesor tourist construclions, The species of Desmoncus are typical or as ornamentals in large hotels. On the of disturbed areas of the rain forest, but other hand, Thrinax radiata is used to they do not form true palmettos. They are build rustic buildings. Its trunks are used very abundant in south and southeast Mex- to make lobster traps and the leaves for ico. thatching and to make brooms, so there is an overexploitation of the natural popu- PresentStatus of MexicanPalms lations. Furthermore, the natural vegeta- tion where these palms grow, has been The natural populations of some palms cleared in order to oDen new lands for have decreased; however, other popula- tourism development. Both speciesare now tions are increasing, but the former situ- seriously threatened. ation is the commoner. Something similar occurs with many The disappearance or depletion of palm species o{ Chamaedorea, mainly those populations has occurred due to external appreciated as ornamentals. In some cases rather than internal conditions, mainly the whole are massively collected; because of the activities of man directly in other cases, the seeds are overcollected overexploiting the populations, or by the for export or to be cultivated, altering the destruction or alteration of the natural hab- natural regeneration of new individuals. itats where the palms grow, so that some The leaves of other specieshave been over- species are now vullerable, threatened, or collected in order to export them for orna- endangered. mental use; as in the case of Chant.aedorea Among the genera whose populations elegans, C. neurochlamys, C. seifrizii and have increased, are Brahea, Scheelea, C. oblongata. The exploitation has Orbignya, Sabal, and.Acrocomia in sec- been so intensive that many individuals ondary palm groves. have become depauperate and do not pro- 2t6 PRINCIPES [Vor. 36 duce enough seedsto insure the regener- governing the commercial trade in palms ationof nalural populations. and increase palm cultivation in different The rapid forest clearing in Mexico is parts of Mexico and to avoid the destruc- evident. Many natural palm populations tive use of natural palm populations. have been lost becausethe palms cannot If we do not make corrective decisions, grow on cleared lands and agricultural not only in Mexico but throughout all of areas, grasslands,and new urbanized cen- the world, we will know many palms only ters. This is the case of through their descriptionsor through her- and G. gotnez-ponpae, Cryosophila barium specimens. Others we will never argentea, Charnaedored spp., Calyptrog- know. yne ghiesbreghtiana, Geonoma sPP., Reinhardtia spp., Synechanthusfibro' Acknowledgments sus,Ba,ctris mexicana', Roystonea regia, Brahea fiLoorei,etc. I wishto expressmy appreciationto Dr. In my travels over most of Mexico, I Fernando Chiang, for critically reviev"ing have noticed that, with the exception of and offering helpful suggestionson the some introduced palms llke Cocos nucif- manuscript. era, Phoenix dactylifera and Elaeis gui- neensis,and other ornamentals,there are Lnrne.runo Ctrno no plantations of palms in Mexico. Some useful palms are favored but not culti- DRANSFIELD,J. AND N. W. Uur. I986. An outline vated, such as: Brahea spp,, Roystonea of a classificationof palms. Principes 30(t): 3- II. dunlapiana, Sabal spp.,Acrocomia mex' Qurno, H. J. ann R. W. READ. 1986. A revision icana, Cryosophila nana, and Scheelea of the palm genus Gaassla H. Wendland. Syst. liebmannii. Bot. ll(l): 145-154. Many universities,research centers and WESSELSBoER, J. G. 1968. The geonomoidpalms. sovernmentinstitutions have realizedthese Verh. Kon. Ned. Akad. Wetensch., Afd. Natuurk., TweedeSect. 58: l-2O2. conservationproblems and created biolog- ZoNa;S. 1990. A monographof Sabal(Arecaceao: ical reservesin different parts ofthe coun- Coryphoideae).Aliso I2: 583-666. try. It is necessaryto establishpolicies