r9BrI JOHNSON: RAPOSA PLANTATION REVISITED 133

Principes,25(3), I98l' pp. 133-139 The RaposaPalm Plantation Revisited* DeNwrsJoHNsolt [Jniaersity of Houston, Houston, Texas 77004

The Raposa plantation near Forta- The survey included enumeration of leza, , was a research facility of the fields of introduced to as- S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc., from 1937 certain the losses which had occurred to 1970. During that period research since the previous survey in July 1970. was conducted on the native carnauba Some palms had died and their re- by wax palm ( prunifera) and mains were destroyed completely 14 introduced congeners, in an at- decay, while others were dead and still tempt to identify high wax-yielding standing. Palms exhibiting a stunted palms for breeding. In 1970 S. growth form, judged bY an absence of of C. Johntott ended their research on Lunk development after a minimum form, waxy palms and donated Raposa to the 25 years or by abnormal trunk Federal University of Cear6 in Forta- were counted as losses. Stunted palms leza. On the occasion of the gift, a ter- apparently never reach botanical ma- minal report of botanical research con- turity and do not live as long as normal ducted and a detailed survey of the specimens. Selected palms which had plantation were completed (Johnson been photograPhed during the 1970 1970). Short papers about RaPosa survey were rephotogpaphedto obtain were published in Principes by K-itzke an approximate record of the, rate of (1970) and Johnson (1971). The pur- growth. pose of this paper is to report the find- Losses among the introduced Palms ings of a follow-up survey of Raposa in are listed in Table 1. Total losses for August 1980, which focused on surviv- the ten-year period are overstated al ind growth rates of the introduced somewhat because certain specimens species of Copernicia. counted as viable in 1970 already were At Raposa the introduced Palms are exhibiting abnormal characteristics; planted in eight individual fields, these same palms were considered as which were established from 1947 to losses in 1980 even if still alive. The 1955. Currently they are in fair.to good species names in Table I have not condition in terms of undergrowth. been changed from those used in 1970 Almost all of the palms are tall enough (Johnson 1971). However, two species so that they are not experiencing com- misidentifications now are evident petition for light, but undoubtedly are from the character of mature . experiencing some competition for soil The palms designated as Copernicia -oi.tnt". Precipitation in Northeast tectorum appear to be C. fallaense ; rhe Brazil was below normal for both the palms identified as C. x uespertilion- 19?9 and I9B0 rainY seasons' and the um d.o not resemble that species and condition is being described as a mini- possibly are C. Burretiana. More de- drought. tailed botanical study is needed to re- solve these problems. Accurate iden- * S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc., Racine, Wis- tification of several species is difficult by providing consin, supported this research because they are or may be natural travel expenses to Brazil. I am indebted to E' D. Kitzke for his suggestions and encouragement. hybrids. r34 PRINCIPES lVor. 25

Table 1. Losses of introduced Copernica palms by species, 1970-80

1970 1980 Percentage Species Population Population Losses Lost

Copernicia alba 286 263 ZJ 8.0 C. Baileyana 62 58 4 6.5 C. Burretiana z 0 0.0 C. Cowellii ,2 l6 7 30.4 C. Curtissii l0 10 0 0.0 C. glabrescens 4l 40 I 2.4 C. hospita 853 7i4 79 9.3 C. macroglossa 47 47 0 0.0 C. rigida z 1 I 50.0 C. x Shaferi 28 24 / 14.3 C. tectorum z z 0 0.0 C. x textilis t4 I4 0 0.0 C. X uespertilionurn z 2 0 0.0 C. Yarey 89 BI B 9.0 Total number of specimens t,461 1,334 127 8.7

For discussion purposes, the intro- plantings in the Fortaleza area. A few duced species can be divided into of the palms now are large enough to three groups: Group l-no losses; show an exposed trunk beneath the Group 2-losses of l-8 percent; Group dense skirt of adhering dead . 3-losses of 9 percent or greater. Figure 2 provides photographic evi- Croup 1 consists of C. Bunetiana, cdence for the redesignation of C. tec- C. Curtissii, C. macroglossa, C. tecto- torum as C. fallaense. Over the ten- rum (?), C. x textilis and C. x aes- year period, the palm has produced a pertilionunt. (?). These palms are trunk of about 1.4 m in height. healthy in appearance and perfectly C. x textilis, one ofthe natural hy- adapted to the climate of coastal brids, is pictured in Figure 3. This Northeast Brazil. Figure I shows a specimen has increased its trunk specimen of C. Burretiana which in- height from about 1.5 m to 3.0 m. One creased its trunk height from about 1.1 specimen of C. x aespertilionum (?) m in 1970 ro 2.5 m in 198Q.The palm was measured and showed an increase in the photograph is 25 years old and in trunk height from 1.0 m to 3.3 m in ultimately may reach a height of 4-5 ten years. m (Dahlgren and Glassman 1963). All Group 2 includes C. alba, C. Bai- specimens of C. Curtissii are produc- leyana and C. glabrescens. The sec- ing suckers vigorously, whereas in the ond largest number of specimens at native habitat in Cuba they are de- Raposa belongs to C. alba. Wide vari- scribed as occasionally producing ation in size is found among the trees, them (Dahlgren and Glassman 1963). with no apparent pattern which can be The more vigorous suckering habit related to environmental factors. The could be some type of environmental occurrence of stunted palms is ran- response. dom; no plant parasites were observed C. macroglosso is the showcase to account for the stunted growth. Fig- palm at Raposa and seed reportedly ure 4 shows a mature C. alba with has been collected for ornamental trunk height of about 8.0 m in 1970 JOHNSON: RAPOSA PLANTATION REVISITED

kt * s i.tj: : t. :,:': l',li .]i::l: ':* 1.. { )'"j i$ l'-,-

L copenticia Burretiantt. a. 1970. Man is 1.76 m tall; b. 1980. Man is 1.65 m tall; 2 tectorum.(ftLLlaense ?). a. 1970; b. f980. PRINCIPES

3. Copernicia x textilis. a. 1970; b. 1980; 4. Corternicia alba. a. 1970; b. 1980. 137 JOHNSON: RAPOSA PLANTATION REVISITED

itt BuileturttL.a. 1970; b. 1980; 6. Copernlcia hospita' a' 1970;b' 1980 PRINCIPES lVor..25

and 10.7 m in 1980. In the most promising waxy palm in the col- palm reaches up to 30 m in height lection. Despite the losses experi- (Dahlgren and Classman 196l). enced, it does appear to be adaptable C. Baileyana also shows consider- to the environment providing it is able variation in size at Raposa. The planted in more favorable sites. palm in Figure 5 increased its trunk C. x Sltaferi also has suffered rel- height from 4.5 m to 5.7 m in ten atively high losses ,at Raposa. A few years. Other specimens are even tall- specimens are botanically mature, but er, with two reaching l0 m, as tall as all are rather srnall in stature. The those in Cuba (Dahlgren and Glassman largest plant has a trunk about I m 1963). C. glabrescens is described as tall, whereas in Cuba this natural hy- occasionally producing suckers in brid reaches heights of 2.0-3.5 rn Cuba (Dahlgren and Glassman 1963), (Dahlgren and Glassman 1963). This but all specimens at Raposa are suck- species does not appear to be well ering vigorously. Once again, this adapted. The loss of one of the two could be some type of environmental specimens of C. rigida occurred re- response. Despite the loss rates within cently in the same field where the Croup 2, the presence of numerous group of C. hospita also died, and mature healthy specimens indicates probably for the same reason. The sur- that the species are adaptable to coast- viving palm appears to krehealthy, but al Northeast Brazil. with only a single specimen no conclu- Croup 3 consists of C. Cowellii, C. sions can be drawn. hospita, C..With x Shaferi, C. rigida and C. Yarey had a loss rate of9 percent, C. Yarey. losses of over 30 per- but one-half of the losses occurred in cent, C. Cowellii is the least success- Field C where conditions are most.se- ful of the species introduced to Rapo- vLre. Measurement of a specimen in sa. Several of the have reached another field showed an increase in botanical maturity, but the largest is trunk height from 1.1 m to 2.8 m. Like only I m tall, although it is 30 years C. hospita, this species appears to be old. Normally this species in Cuba adaptable to more favorable sites in reaches a height of 1.2-2.5 m (Dahl- coastal Northeast Brazil. gren and Classman 1963). In conclusion, it should be men- C. hospita represents more than tioned that the Raposa plantation is one-half of the introduced specimens the largest collection of cultivated at Raposa. A loss rate of over 9 per- Copernicia palms known, and its cent indicates that some problems of species list is exceeded only by the adaptation exist. Losses due to death Fairchild Tropical Garden in Miami. or stunted growth appear to be random At least three species are unique to except in Field C where a group of six Raposa. Much could be learned about large palms had recently died. Ac- the nature of spontaneous palm hy- counting for this concentration may be brids and other aspects of Copernicia the recent drought conditions and very species through careful study of the sandy soils ofthe field, but a plant par- research records and living specimens asite cannot be ruled out. Figure 6 in the collection. shows a specimen in another field which increased its trunk height from LrrnnerunaCmuo 0.6 m to 1.9 m. Other specimensof C. Danr,cnrN, B. E. and S. F. Gr,assnaaN.1961. revision hospita at Raposa are over 3 m in A of the Copernicia.I. South American species.Gentes Herbarum 9(1): height. This species represents the t-40. r98il JOHNSON: RAPOSA PLANTATION REVISITED r39

Inc., Racine, Wis; 1963. A revision of the genus Coper- S. C. Johnson & Son, nicia. 2. West Indian species. Gentes Her- consin. of the ge- barum 9(2): 4l-232. 1971. Some notes on Palms Copernicia. Principes 15(4): 127-f30. Jonnson, D. 1970. Development of an im- nus plantation gift. proved waxy palm. Unpublished report of KITZKE, E. D. 1970. Research Principes L4(2): 68-77. Principes, 25(3),198f' PP' 139-140 (4) Brief Review of Research on LY LETTERS (D.H.Romney) Dear Editor, (5) Variety Resistance to LY-Cur- rent Sitiration (B. O. Been) I am sure that many members of the Palm Society will be interested to hear In addition, Policy Statements on the findings of the special Meeting on LY were received from Central PIan- the Future of Lethal Yellowing Re- tation Crops Research Institute, India; search held l-2 SePtember 1980 in Coconut Research Institute, Indone- Kingston, Jamaica, which was co- sia; Institut pour Recherches en sponsored by the International Coun- Huiles et Ol6agineux (IRHO), France; "il ot Lethal Yellowing and the Co- Ministry of Agriculture, Jamaica; Phil- conut Industry Board, Jamaica. This ippine Coconut Authority; Royal Trop- meeting was convened because the fi- ical Institute, The Netherlands; Coun- nanciaL and technical support for the cil for Scientific and Industrial U.K. Overseas DeveloPment Admin- Research, Ghana; Coconut IndustrY istration LY Research Team in Jamai- Board, Jamaica; and the National Co- (GTZ)' ca will come to an end in March 1981, conut Development Project after nine years of work. The Coconut Tanzania. All of these territories/or- Industry Board also indicated its de- sanizations stressed the need for con- sire to withdraw its support. The aim t.-irrrrutionof research into LY. of the meeting was to review research The meeting concluded that priority on LY to date, decide what future re- work should be pursued in two major search was needed, and attemPt to fields of research: support for identify sites and financial A. International testing of coconut va- this research. rieties to find practical resistance included Participants in the meeting in each territory and to identifY from ODA, FAO, representatives where diseases are co-identical. A Coconut Univ. Fla., Univ. W. Indies, project was drawn uP that delin- Caribbean Industry Board Jamaica, eates the varieties to be tested and EuroPean Com- Development Bank, the criteria for running the exper- Ministries munities Commission and iment. Statistical advice is being of Finance and Agriculture Jamaica. obtained from E. Malling Research the To update all the ParticiPants, Station, U.K. It is hoped that trials were cir- following Background Papers can be established in Nigeria culated previously: (Awka wilt), Philippines (Socorro (1) Global Significance of LY (L. disease and Cadang-cadang), Ja- Chiarappa) maica (LY), Malaysia and Sumatra (un- (2) Outstanding Scientific Problems- (stem necrosis), New Hebrides The Need for Continued Research named disease), India ( wilt), on LY (S. J. Eden-Creen) Solomon Islands (unnamed dis- (3) LY and Lethal Declines of Palms ease),Sri Lanka ( scorch), GoY- (red in the United States (W. B. Ennis) ana (cedros wilt) and Trinidad