PALM S Baker & Heatubun: Biak and Supiori Palms Vol. 56(3) 2012 WILLIAM J. B AKER New Palms Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AB, United Kingdom from Biak
[email protected] and AND CHARLIE D. H EATUBUN Supiori, Fakultas Kehutanan, Universitas Papua, Jl. Gunung Salju, Amban, Western Manokwari 98314, Papua Barat, Indonesia New Guinea
[email protected] 1. View from Samber across the limestone cliffs of western Biak. (Photo: W.J. Baker) The Indonesian islands of Biak and Supiori sit at the mouth of Cenderawasih Bay, the broad arc of ocean to the north of the neck of New Guinea’s Bird’s Head Peninsula. Already known for their remarkable animal endemism, the islands are home to four unique palm species, three of which are described here for first time. PALMS 56(3): 131 –150 131 PALM S Baker & Heatubun: Biak and Supiori Palms Vol. 56(3) 2012 Of the many islands scattered around already been introduced to cultivation prior Cenderawasih Bay (also known as Geelvink to its formal description but was poorly known Bay), Biak, Supiori, Numfor and Yapen stand in the wild until these expeditions. The out on account of their relatively large size. remaining three new species are described here Yapen, a land bridge island, sits close to the for the first time. New Guinea mainland to which it was once As a whole, the palm flora of Biak is not connected, while the remaining three are particularly rich (Table 1). Nineteen species oceanic in origin and located in the north of have been recorded, with all non-endemic the bay.