r0B PRINCIPES [Vor. 34

Principes,34(3), I990, pp. 108-119 A New Speciesand Synopsisof a Distinctive and Natural Subgroup of Chamaedorea

Doxero R. Hooru ANDNATALTE W. Usr Unioersity ofCalifornia, 2615 S. Grand Aae., Suite 4O0, Los Angeles, CA 900O7, and L. H. Bailey Hortorium, 467 Mann Library, Cornell Uniuersity, hhaca, NY 14853

Recent work in support of a project on means that the lower margin of a leaflet along the rachis, often Chamaedorea in cultivation that will be extends downward.When publishedby the International Palm Soci- to the next leaflet. examinedclosely ety in l99l has enabled us to gain an the rachis appears to be winged between understandingof a distinctive and natural adjacent leaflets. Although this is a con- subgroup within the genus. This group of stant feature within a speciesof this group, about five or so speciesis distinguishedby it varies from speciesto species.Some a combinationof charactersincluding their specieshave the leaflets with their lower acaulescenthabit, Iong-pedunculateinflo- margin only briefly decurrent while others rescencesarisilg from the baseof the plant, have their margins decurrent all the way the pinnaewith the lower margin decurrent to the next lowest leaflet. This character on the rachis, and pinnate eophylls. For is easily overlookpd, especially on dried lack of a better term, we have called this herbarium material. It is most easily seen "pinnatifid associationof speciesthe group" on living material and is especiallynotice- but, at this time, have given it no laxo- able on one- and twoleaf seedlings. nomic status. It is, however, a member of Finally, the eophyll is pinnatealthough subgenusChamaedoropsis Oerst. by vir- there may be an exception to this since, tue of a combination of characters includ- unfortunately, we did not have the oppor- ing the persistent fruiting perianth and the tunity to observe seedlingsof the simple- solitary staminate flowers with apically leaved forms of C. pygrnaea. The only spreadingpetals. other speciesof the genus with a pinnate Although appearing acaulescent,mem- eophyll is C. elegans which differs sub- bers of the pinnatifid group actually pos- stantially from those in the pinnatifid sessa short, creepingstem (Fig. l) at or subgroupin floral structure, inflorescence, near the ground and often buried in the and habit. The pinnate eophyll is an leaflitter ofthe forestfloor. The nodesare extremely attractive feature and plants are very prominent and densely placed, the highly prized, even as small seedlings(Fig. internodesas short as I mm and no more 3). than 5-7 mm long. The inter- or infrafoliar Another interesting, yet somewhatcon- inflorescences are erect-ascending and fusing, feature of membersof the pinnatifid. often arcuate. Frequently they appear to group is that they tend to flower when very be emergingfrom the soil or leaf litter since young and smallo even when as little as the stem is usually wholly below the ground one-fifth their eventual size. When this or leaf litter. occurs, all parts of the plant are corre- The lower margins of the pinnae are spondingly small. Leaves and inflores- decurrent along the rachis (Fig. 2). This cencesare much reduced and have fewer r9901 HODEL AND UHL: A CHAMAEDOREASUBGROUP 109 and/or shorter parts including pinnae, 3. Margins of pinnae not undulate, pistillate rachil- peduncles,rachillae, and bracts. Pinnae of lae t straight or only slightly curved...... ,..4 4. Pistillate inflorescencespicate young and old plants, both mature, or rarely fucate, of the generally smaller plants with leavesusually less same speciesare often shaped differently. than 70 cm long. -...-...... -...-...-...-....-...... -C. st enocer pa Although this phenomenonoccurs in 4. Pistillate inflorescence with three or more ra- speciesthroughout Chamaed,orea,it is very chillae.generally larger plants with leaves0.7- pronouncedin the pinnatifid group, result- 1.5 m long. -...-....-...-...-...... 5 5. Leaves erect-ascending,20 or more pinnae on ing in inconsistenciesin descriptions and each side of the rachis; pistillate inflorescence applications of names. with 60-100 filiform, short, + stiff rachillae. The pinnatifid group rangesfrom north- ern Colombiato Guatemalathough it attains s.i;;;;;;il;-h.;h;; tor*"!::!::!f" side of the rachis; pistillate inflorescence with its greatestdiversity and number of species 3 15 rather thick rachillae. C. scheryi on the wet Atlantic slope from western Panama to central . Members of the pinnatifid group are Chamaedoreabrachyclada H. A. similar ecologically. Nearly absent from Wendl., RegelGartenfl. 29: I0l , I BB0. warm, lowland forest, most occur in wet Type: Cult., H. Wendland s.n.o unla- forest or cloud forest at middle to relatively beled, unmounted specimen annotated "HOLOTYPUS?" high elevations(800-1,500 m). A notable as by M. H. Grayum, exception to this is C. pygmaea which 23 July 1987 (Neotype,GOET). occurs as low as 100 m elevation in the Nunnezharia brachyclada (H. A. Wendl.) Dari6n region of Panama. Most speciesof O. Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PIanI. 2: 730, the pinnatifid groqp occur in forests char- l89t. acterized by constant, year-round, high rainfall and high humidity and moderate Stem solitary, oyerall height including temperatures with little daily or seasonal leavesto I-2 m. Leaves3 (Fig. 4), erect- fluctuation. ascending,pinnate, I-2 m long; sheath to Here we provide a key to the species 35 cm long; petiole40-80 cm long, erect; of the pinnatifid group, describe a new rachis l-1.25 m long, petiole and rachis species and propose a name for it, and with a covering of minute, rough, white, include abbreviated descriptions and dis- glisteningspots especiallyat rachis-petiole cussionsof previouslynamed species;com- junction; pinnae 20-30 on each side of plete descriptionsof thesewill be in Hodel's the rachis, dark green, linear-lanceolate, forthcoming treatment x 'We of Chamaed,orea'tn acuminate, largest to 30 2-3 em, cultivation. also provide comments on S-nerved, fairly rough abaxially. cultivating these plants since they are dif- Inflorescencesinfrafoliar; peduncles to ficult to grow well. 60 cm long, greenand + roundedin flower, reddish-orangein fruit; bracts 5-9; rachis Kny ro rHE SpECTESoF THE 10-12 cm long, green in flower, reddish- PrNne.rrrrn Gnoup WnHrn orange in fruit. Staminate inflorescence Cnau.ssnoazl with 40-50 rachillae, these spreading,fili- form, green, lowermost the longest, these l. Leaves simple and bifid...... ,..,...,...,...... C. pygmaea l. Leaves pinnate...... -...... - ...... -..2 to l0 cm long. Pistillate inflorescencebot- 2. Leaves with pinnae not decreasing in length tle-brushlike;rachillae 60-100, filiform, toward the apex of the rachis. ..-...-..-.C. pygmaea stiffish, 3-5 cm long, green in flower, red- 2. Leaves with pinnae decreasing in length toward dish-orangein fruit. the apex of the rachis. Staminate flowers greenish, oblong- 3. Margins of pinnae undulate, pistillate rachillae ovoid; calyx cupular, 3-lobed,lobes broadly :1""''l:*l:1 1:ol*:l"'?',;;;i;;;i,," rounded;petals spreading apically and free IIO PRINCIPES lVoL. 34 r9901 HODEL AND UHL: A CHAMAEDOREASUBGROUP to about the middle, green, acute and to lBB0. Wendland(lBB0) then described slightly recurved apically, thickened and C. brachyclada from a cultivated pistillate lighter green medially on the adaxial sur- plant he obtained from Veitch. It was face; stamens with filaments and anthers apparently lost to cultivation until the yellow; pistillode equalling the stamens, 1960s when Robert C. Wilson established columnar, yellowish. Pistillate flowers Las CrucesTropical BotanicalGarden [now greenish; calyx very short; petals erect, Jardin Bot5nico Robert y CatherineWilson convolute-imbricate.Fruits globose,black, (JBRCW)] at in Costa Rica near 3-5 mm diam. the Panamanian border. Wilson's sarden Distribution: PANAMA. Chiriqui. included some native forest whicf, con- COSTA RICA. . Dense, moist tained populations of C. brachyclad,a. or wet forest on the Pacific slope,1,100- Wilson established and cultivated the I.300 m elevation. speciesin his garden and from these plants SpecimensExamined: PANAMA. Chi- and the wild plants in the adjacent forest riqui: Cerro Panda, T. Croat 15904 (MO). he distributed seedsto fellow palm enthu- COSTA RICA. Puntarenas: San Vito de siastsand botanical gardens.Through Wil- CotoBrus, M. Grayum 3351, 3352,3365, son's efforts, collectors have cultivated C. 9280 (MO); G. d.eNeuers 7763 (MO); H. brachyclad,a in California, Florida, and E. Moore Jr. 9995 (BH); fL Hobbs 0583- Hawaii since the late 1960s and early 1o2 (CR); D. R. & M. A. Hodel TOSA, 1970s. Of all the speciesin the pinnatifid 7OSB, (BH, CR); Fila , Can- group, C. brachyclada may be the easiest delariaAcosta, M. Charria Diaz 107 (CR). to cultivate. CULTIVATED. United States. California: Although originally coll€cted in Chiri- Los Angeles, in greenhouse,D. R. Hodel qui, Panama, C. brachyclad,a is very rare 865 (BH), from plants grown from seeds there; in fact, we have seen only one col- originally collected near San Vito de Coto lection of it from this area. Much of Chi- Brus, Costa Rica; Huntington Beach, in rigui has been extensively deforested as the garden of F. Ketchum, D. R. Hodel haveadjacent areas ofCosta Rica. Grayum 674 (BH), from plants grown from seeds and de Nevers (1988) noted that this originally collected near San Vito de Coto sp€ciesis clearly threatened and endan- Brus. Costa Rica. Germany. Hannover: gered since suitable habitat is extremely Herrenhausen,photograph of unmounted, scarcein this area. As recentlv as 1987. "Holo- unlabeled specimen annotated as though,a healthy,reproducing population typus?" by. M. H. Gralmm, 23 Jvly I9B7 of this palm existed in forest remnants at (Neotype, GOET), presumably a plant JBRCW. grown from seedsintroduced from Chiri- A very distinctive species, C. brachy- qui, Panama. clada is easily distinguished from other Zahn collected seeds of this palm in membersof the pinnatifid group by its few Chiriqui in Panama and sent them to the (3-4), erect, long-pinnate leaves with famous plantsman Veitch in Europe prior numerous, straight segments and long-

(- l. The staminat€ inflorescence of Chanaedorea scheryi, D. R. Hodel & M. H. Grayum 697A, Tapanti, Costa Rica, arises from near the base of the plant, a feature common in speciesof the pinnatifid group, 2. The decurrent pinnae form along the rachis between two adjacent segments.Chamaed,orea scheryi, D. R. & M. A. Hodel 72OA, Rio Sarapiqui, Costa Rica. 3. An attractive feature of the pinnatifid group is that usually even the youngest seedling leaves are pimate. Chamaed,orea scheryi, Rio Sarapiqui, Costa Rica. 4. Mariame Hodel holds leaves of Chamaed,oreabrachyclad.a, D. R. & M. A. Hodel 705A,in forest remnants adiacent to JBRCW. Costa Rica. ll2 PRINCIPES [Vor. 34 pedunculate, arcuate inflorescenceswith what recurved or drooping, greenish at numerous, short rachillae. The pistillate anthesis.Pistillate inflorescence spicate or inflorescencesomewhat resembles a bottle furcate; rachis or flower-bearing portion brush with its slender,sturdy peduncleter- 10 cm long, curved, pale greenish at minating in numerous, short, densely anthesis,orange and swollen in fruit. Sta- placed, stiff rachillae. minate flowers green, fragrant; calyx + cuplike; petals valvate, 3 mm long; sta- Chamaedorea pygmaea H. A. Wendl., merrsVz-3/4 as long as the petals; pistillode Otto & Dietr. Allg. Gartenzeit.2O:217, pale oq greenish. Pistillate flowers green, 1852. Type: Cult., fL Wendland s.n. fragrant; petals elongate, spreading api- (Holotype GOET). cally; staminodes 6; pistil depressed-glo- bose, 3Jobed, stigmas recurved slightly. Stachyophorbepygmaea (H. A. Wendl.) Fruits black, globose-oblong, 6-8 mm long. Oerst.,Vidensk. Meddel. Kjoeb. 1858: Distribution: COLOMBIA. Socorro. 10,1859. PANAMA. Dari6n. Chiriqui. COSTA Nunnezharia pygmaea(H. A. Wendl.) O. RICA. Puntarenas.Dense, wetforesu 100- Kuntze,Rev. Gen. Plant.2:73I, I891. 2,000 m elevation. Chamaedorea terryorutn Standl., Field Specimens Examined: COLOMBIA. Mus. Nat. Hist. Bot. 22: 326, 1940. Without a specified locality, Funclt & Type: Panama, M. & R. Terry 1452 Schlirn 1654, annotatedby H. E. Moore, (Holotype MO). Jr. as Isotype (BR). PANAMA. Dari6n: Cladandra pygmaea (H. A. Wendl.) O. Chepigana, M. & R. Terry 1452 (Holo- F. Cook, Nat. Hort. Mag. 22: I4B, type of C. terryorum, MO; Isotypes,GH, 1943, name of no botanical standing. F); 1451(D; LLfi (MO, F); CerroPirre, Stem solitary, overall height of the plant G. de Neaers et al. 8268 (MO); S. Mori usuallyless than 60 cm. Leaves3-8, erect- & I. Kallunk 5388(MO). Chiriqui: Planes spreading;sheath short; petiolel0-25 cm de Hornito, T. Croat 48854 (MO); Bajo long; blade 20-30 x 6-15 cm, pinnate Mona, R. WoodsonIr. & R. Schery 585 or simple and bifid, if pinnate the pinnae (MO). COSTA RICA. Puntarenas: Rio usually 9-12 on each side of the rachis, Canasta,G. Dauidseet al. 28355,28490, ,falcatelylanceolate, l2-I5 x l-2.5 cm, 28506 (MO), 2B4BB (MO, CR), 28358 apical pinnae wider and not decreasing (CR); Las Alturas, P. Maas & B. McAlpin noticeably in length toward apex of the 1488 (BH, U); 1489 (U); Rio Burri, Z. rachis, a prominent midrib and one intra- G6rnez21419 (MO), 21407 (CR),21683 marginal nerve conspicuouson each side (MO, CR). CULTIVATED. Germany. of this adaxially, if simple the blade incised Hannover: Herrenhausen, H. Wendland at the apexto ca. one-thirdits length, l2- s.z. (photographof Holotype at GOET; Isotype, C). 14 prominent primary nerves on each of 'Wendland the rachises, 2 secondaries conspicuous (1852) describedand named between each pair of primaries abaxially, C. pygmaea from cultivated plants that or the blade yariously pinnate with a broad Linden introduced to Europe, apparently terminal pair of pinnae and several basal from Diablo in Socorro Province of New ones. Granada(Colombia) prior to 1850. Inter- "Chiapas" Inflorescencesinter- or infrafoliar, aris- estingly, the word is written on ing from the baseofthe plant, erect, shorter the isotype at Copenhagendespite the fact than or about equalling the leaves;pedun- that Wendland stated in his lB52 article 'cles to 20 cm long; bracts 4-8. Staminate that C. pygnl.aea was collected in Colom- "Chiapas" inflorescencewith rachis to l0 cm long, bia. However, whoever wrote greenish at anthesis; rachillae 10-25, to easily could have been confusedsince New 6.-8 cm long, widely spreading or some- Granadawas a term appliedto both Colom- r9901 HODEL AND UHL: A CHAMAEDOREASUBGROUP Il3 bia and Chiapas, M6xico by botanists of linear-lanceolate, the middle and lower the time. C. pygmaea is extremely vari- middle the longest,these 20-35 x 2.5- able vegetatively with leaves being com- 4.0 cm, a midrib and 2 marginal nerves pletely pinnate to simple with a bifid apex. on each side of this prominent adaxially The type has leaves with up to 12 pinnae and sometimesa lessprominent secondary on each side of the rachis. In addition, C. nerve between each of these, 5 nerves pygm.aea has the widest altitudinal range prominent abaxially. of any species of the pinnatifid group. Inflorescencesinter- or infrafoliar, erect; Although occurring mainly from 600- pedunclesto 50-75 cm long, greenishat 2,000 m elevation, a few collectionsfrom anthesis,dull orangein fruit; bracts5-10. the Dari6n region in Panama place it as Staminate inflorescence with a rachis to low as 100 meters. 10-20 cm long, green; rachillae l5*30 Standley(1940) describedand named or perhaps more, lower ones the longest, C. terryorurn from the Dari6n region of these l0-15 cm long, slender,green. Pis- eastern Panama adjacent to Colombia. tillate inflorescencewith a rachis l-B cm Standley'stype (M. & R. Terry 1452)has long, green at anthesis, orange in fruit; leaves that are simple and bifid; however, rachillae 4-15, to l0 cm long, -f stiff, another collection from the same popula- erect, straight and parallel or slightly tion(M. & R. Terry 1453)has leavesthat curved, green at anthesis,orange in fruit. are completely pinnate and was annotated Staminate flowers greenish, fairly close by L. H. Bailey as C. pygmaea. This latter in bud and abruptly short-pointed; calyx collection fits C. pygmaea very well, sub- 3Jobed and spreading;petals valvate, free stantiating the case that C. terryorurn is nearly to the base,spreading; stamens with a simpleJeavedform of C. pygmaea. the filaments white; pistillode columnar, Chamaedorea pygmaea is close to C. greenish, broadly 3lobed apically. Pistil- stenoca.rpa but can be distinguished by late flowers greenish; calyx low, 3Jobed; the pinnae not decreasing noticeably in petals pointed, fleshy, imbricate basally, length toward the apex of the rachis. free apically; pistil depressed-obovoid, Although Guillaumin (1923) reported green.Fruits globose,black, 5-7 mm diam. that C. pygna.ea was once common in Distributiou PANAMA. Chiriqui. European glasshouses,it is rare in culti- Cocl6. COSTA RICA. Alaiuela. . vation today. The only living plants that San Jos6. Cartago. Dense. wet forest, we have seen are a few cultivated in a mainly on the Atlantic slope but, perhaps, remote location of the JBRCW, CostaRica elsewhere.800-2.000 m elevation. (Fig. 5). Bruce McAlpin collected them in SpecimensExamined: PANAMA. Chi- I97 4 n the upper valley of the Rio Cot6n, riqui: Bajo Chorro, R. Woodson & R. Puatarenas,Costa Rica. Schery 680 (Holotype, MO); Boquete, D. R. & M. A. Hodel 7274, 7278 (BH, PMA); Fortuna,H. & A. Churchill6193, Ghamaedorea scheryi L. H. Bailey, 6Da (MO); T. Croat 50094 (MO). Cocl6: GentesHerb. 6: 252, Fig. 133, 1943. El Cop6,D. R. & R. M. Hodel T3B (BH, Type: Panama, R. Woodson & R. PMA); I. Folsom & L. Collins 6445 (MO); Schery 680 (Holotype MO). B. Hammel3522 (MO); G. de Neuers et Stem solitary, overall height including al. 6382 (MO). COSTA RICA. Alajuela: leaves 1-1.5 m. Leaves 4-6. erect- Rio San Lorencito de San Ram6n, ,I. spreading;sheath l5-30 cm long; petiole G6mez-Laurito 10294 (CR); Bajos de 30-45 cm long; rachis'O.8-I m long; Jamaicalde San Ram6n. I. Chac6n 1767 pinnae 16-20 on each side of the rachis, (CR). Heredia: aboveSan Miguel along the light to dark green, + straight or only Rio Sarapiqui,D. R. & M. A. Hodel720A, slightly sigmoid, falcately long-acuminate, 7208 (BH, CR); L Chac6n & G. Herrera PRINCIPES [Vor. 34

r9901 HODEL AND UHL: A CHAMAEDOREASUBGROUP ll5

1176 (MO, CR), 1173 (CR); W. Burger erect-spreading,pinnate, to 40-50 cm & T. Antonio 11150 (CR);Braulio Carrillo long, light forest green; sheath 3-B cm NationalPark, R. Chazd.on179, lB0 (CR); long petiole to 5-25 cm long; rachis to Rio Sardinal, M. Grayurn 7359, 7360 15-30 cm long; blade in outline 15-33 (MO, CR). San Jos6:Rio Zurqui, M. Gray- x I0-20 cm; pinnae I0-20 on each side unt.& P. Sleeper 612 (MO); Braulio Car- of the rachis, narrowly oblong-lanceolate, rillo National Park, .R. Chazdon 220 (CR). to 5-lB x 2.5 cm, slightly sigmoid,fal- Cartago: Tapanti, L. G6rnez 18739, cately-acuminate, pinnae decreasing in 19246, 19248 (MO); t Croat & M. length noticeably in a progressivemanner Grayurn 68254 (MO); D. R. Hod.el & M. toward the apex of the rachis, terminal Grayum 697A,6978 (BH); R. Lent 910 pair slightly wider, a midrib and a sub- (CR); R. Baher et al. 209 (CR). marginal nerve on either side of this prom- Bailey (1943) described and named inent adaxially. Charnaedorea scheryi from material that Inflorescencesinterfoliar or infrafoliar, Woodsonand Schery collectedin Chiriqui, erect' + equalling the leaves; peduncles Panama. Apparently confined to wet for- to 15-20 cm long, erect, greenish at ests from central Costa Rica to central anthesis, orange in fruit; bracts 5. Sta- Panama, it exhibits a fair amount of foliar minate inflorescence with a rachis to 15 variation over this range. Collectionsfrom cm long, green;rachillae 10-25, these6- the vicinity of the Rio Sarapiqui in Costa 8 cm long, filiform, -F pendulousor flex- Rica (Fig. 7) differ slightly from those from ible, green. Pistillate inflorescencespicate Tapanti, Costa Rica (Fig. 6) in the rachis or rarely furcate, + straight or slightly being more sharyplyangled adaxially and curved, + stiff; rachis or flower-bearing the pinnae darker green with the lower portion 5-15 cm long, green at anthesis, margin more conspicuouslydecurrent along thicker and reddish-orangein fruit. the rachis to the next lower pinna, and the Staminate flowers green; petals oblong, nervesless pronounced. Material from near acute, spreading. Pistillate flowers green; Boquete in Chiriqui, Panama (Fig. 8) dif- calyx broadly 3-lobed, sepals imbricate; fers from that from Costa Rica in the pin- corolla with the petalstightly imbricate and nae slightly broader and with the nerves open only briefly at the apex, petalsoblong, evp-nless pronounced. These differences acute; pistil depressed-globose,green, seem insignificant when taken over the 3-lobed. Fruit yellow maturing black, glo- entire range. bose, 7 mm diam. Only recently introduced to cultivation, Distribution: GUATEMALA. lzabal. C. scheryi is rare in collections and gar- COSTA RICA. Puntarenas. Alajuela. He- dens in California. redia. PANAMA. Veraguas. Dense, wet forest, 300-1,00.0 m elevation. Chamaedorea stenocdrpd Standl. & Sp ecirnensExamined.: GUATEMALA. Steyerm.,Field Mus. Nat. Hist. Bot. 23: Izabal: t. Steyermark 41893 (Holotype 206, L947. Type: Guatemala,J. Stey- F); D. R. Hod.el & I. I. Castill.o Mont ermark 41893 (Holotype F). 870 (BH, AGUAT). COSTA RICA. Pun- tarenas: south of San Vito above the Rio Stem solitary, overall height including Claro, R. Wilson 66-33 (BH); H. Hobbs leaves 50-60 cm. Leaves 3-5 (Fig. 9), 0583-101(CR). Alajuela:Los Angelesde

(- 5. Chomaedorea pygnaea cultivated in the JBRCW, Costa Rica. 6. Staminate plant of Chamaedorea scheryi, D. R. Hodel & M. H. Grayum 697A, Tapanti, Costa Rica. 7. Mariame Hodel and Chamaed.orea scheryi, D. R. & M. A. Hodel 72OB,Rio Sarapiqui, Costa Rica. B. Chamaedorea scheryi, D. R. & M. A. Hodel 7278, Chiriqui, Panama. PRINCIPES lVoL. 34

A staminate plant o{ Chamaed,oreastenocarpa, D. R. & M. A. Hodel 619A, grows at the JBRCW, Costa Rica.

San Ram6n, S. Brenes 61ll (CR). Here- In the I960s he establishedfruiting pop- dia: , R. Roig 12 (F, CR). ulations in his garden, JBRCW. One of PANAMA. Veraguas:Santa Fe, S. Mori these plants in Wilson's garden is hand- & I. Kallunki 3113 (MO), 3843 (BH, somely illustrated on the cover of Prin- MO); Z. Croat 27694 (MO); Rio Segundo, cipesYol.25,No. 2, April, l98l. These P. Maas & R. Dressler1656 (U). CUL- plants were brought to him by local col- TIVATED. Costa Rica. Puntarenas:San lectors or collected by Wilson in forest Vito de , JBCRW, D. R. & M. remnantsin the mountainsabove San Vito' A. Hodel6l9A,6198 (BH). UnitedStates. Costa Rica. Over the years, he distributed "Las California: La Habra, in the garden of L. seedsand plants as the Cruces elfin 'odwarf Hooper, D. R. Hodel824A, B24B (BH), dwarf' or pinnate" Chamaedorea originally received from JBRCW, Costa to interested collectors and hobbyists. Rica. Hawaii: Honolulu, Ho'omaluhia Today, C. stenocarpa is cultivated in Botanic Garden of the Honolulu Botanic Hawaii, California, Florida, Australia and' Gardens,D. R. Hodel 833 (BH), acces- probably, elsewhere. sioned as HBG 77.1331, originally col- undulatifolia D. R. lected at JBRCW, Costa Rica. Chamaedorea nov. (Figs. Chamaedoreastenocarpa is closestto Hodel & N. W. Uhl. sP. C. pygrnaea but can be distinguished by l0-t3). the greater number of pinnae that decrease SubgenerisChamaed.oropsls Oerst. C. markedly in length and in a progressive scheryi L. H. Bailey affinis sed segmentis manner toward the apex of the rachis. marginibus undulatis, rachillis fructifican- The late Robert G. Wilson of San Vito tibus valde recurvatis et unciformibus dif- in southeasternCosta Rica is responsible fert. Typus:H. E. MooreJr. 10179 (Holo- for introducing this speciesto cultivation. typus BH). reeOl HODELAND UHL: A CHAMAEDOREASUBGROUP tt7

:;'.,t '**$ {;?',t':.t:

I0. Chamaedorea undulatifolia, D. R. & M. A. Hodel 6958,in cloud forest at the type locality, , Costa Rica. II. Fruiting rachillae of Chamaedorea undulatifolia are strongly recurved and hooklike, D. ,R. & M. A. Hodel 6958. 12. Marianne Hodel holds leaf of Chamaedorea undulatifolia. D. R. & M. A. Hodel 695A, at the type locality. Note the undulate margins of the pinnae. I 3. A close.up of a leaf of a young plant of Chamaedorea undulatifolia at the type locality clearly shows the undulate margins of the pinnae. ll8 PRINCIPES lVoL. 34

Stem solitary, appearingacaulescent but 2.5-I I cm long, stronglyrecurved, hook- actually creeping at or slightly below the like (Fig. II) and orangein fruit. leaf litter, denselyringed, nodesprominent Staminate flowers green, 1.5-2 mm and swollen, internodes very short, to 5 high; calyx membranous,shallowly 3-lobed, mm long, overall height including leaves 0.5 mm high, flaring and drying light brown I-1.5 m. with darker margins; corolla with the petals Leaves3-5 (Fig. l0), erect-spreading, valvate, drying dark, 1.5 mm high, ovoid, -F pinnate; sheath to l0 cm long, green, acute, free at anthesis; stamens with brown-margined apically, splitting deeply the anthe-rssessile, not deeply bifid at the opposite the petiole, clasping completely apex; pistillode slightly shorter than in a tubular manner only near the base; anthers, 3-angled and + angled-enlarged petiole elongateoto 60 cm long, green and at the apex. Pistillate flowerswith the calyx flat or very slightly channeled adaxially, flaring, briefly 3-lobed, similar to that of green and rounded abaxially; rachis to 50- the staminate; corolla 2 mm high, petals 75 cm long, green and slightly angled valvate but separatingand recurving only -f adaxially, green and rounded abaxially; at the tip at anthesisand corolla urceo- pinnae l2-l8 on each side of the rachis, late; pistil green. Fruits black, ellipsoid- bright forest green, thin, lower margin globose, B x 6 mm; perianth persistent decurrent along the rachis, lanceolate, but not prominently nerved when dry. slightly sigmoid, acuminate, alternate or Distribution: COSTA RICA. Puntare- subopposite,lower and central pinnae the nas. Alajuela. Heredia. San Jos6. Dense, largest,these to 12.5-19 x I.6-2.7 cm, wet montane forest and cloud forest on the becomingprogressively smaller toward the Atlantic slope or just over the Continental apex of the rachis, margins undulate (Figs. Divide, 800-1,700 m elevation.Probably 12,I3), midrib prominent and.I-2 lateral endemic. nerves on either side of this adaxially and SpecirnensExamined: COSTA RICA. abaxially, theseyellowish when dry, midrib Puntarenas:Monteverde, H. E. Moore Jr. with warty-roughened surface at the base et al. 10179 (Holotype,BH), l0lB0(BH); abaxially. D. R. & M. A. Hodel695A,6958 (BH, Inflorescencesinterfoliar, erect, some- CRh B. Harnmel 13867 (MO, CR); Z. times infrafoliar in fruit, frequently Dryer 149, 1508, lB5,273 (CR). Ala- appearing to arise from the ground, gla- juela: La Pefia de Zareero, A. Smith brous. Staminate inflorescence to 70 cm H-1005 (F); La Paz, NW of San Ram6n, high but often smaller; peduncle to 47 cm R. Liesner et al. 15476 (MO); Balsa,NW long, greenish at anthesis;bracts 6, these of San Ram6n, R. Liesner & E. Judzie- tubular, tightly sheathing, acute-acumi- wicz 14886 (MO, CR). Heredia: M. Val- nate, bifid, longitudinally striate-nerved, -l- erio 1590 (F). San Jos6: Braulio Carrillo papery, green but browning at anthesis; NationalPark , R. Chazdon 225, 236 (CR). rachis 24 cm long, greenish at anthesis; Cartago:Quebrada Casa Blanca at Tapanti, rachillae 30, green, slender, Iower ones M. Grayum & P. Sleeper 3691, 3692 the longest,these to 15 cm long, spread- (Mo). ing, simple or once-branched,those above The specific epithet refers to the leaves the middle shorter, to 5-l I cm long. Pis- with the pinnae having undulate margins. tillate inflorescenceto 55 cm long but often Chazdon(in Brenesia28: IO7 -II 6, I 987) smaller; peduncle to 44 cm long, greenish referred to C. undulatifolia as Chamae- "elegantissima." at anthesis,orange in fruit; bracts B, these dorea sp. Becauseof its similar to those of the staminate; rachis stemlesshabit and decurrent pinnae with very short, 0.25-2.5 cm long, green at strikingly undulate margins, C. undulati- anthesis, orange in fruit; rachillae 2-6, folia bears a remarkable resemblance, r99ol HODEL AND UHL: A CHAMAEDOREASUBGROUP ll9

especiallywhen young, to certain ferns in and go into a slow decline from which they the genus Polypodium. Although the seldomrecover. undulating margins of the pinnae are quite Growersof speciesin the pinnatifidgroup striking and occur even on material cul- may have the best results by using a well tivated in Costa Rica and California. thev drainedmedium high in organic matter and are not readily apparent on dried herbar- a slow release, organic type of fertilizer, ium material. situating the plants in deep shade, and, if Chamaedorea und.ulatifolia is similar possible, maintaining constant tempera- to C. scheryi but can be distinguishedby between15 and 27'C (60-80'F) the undulate margins of the pinnae and and relative humiditiesabove eighty per- the pistillate rachillae strongly recurved cent. These conditions are sometimesdif- and hooklike, rather than straight, in fruit ficult to maintain. In addition, periodic (Fis. I l). leaching of the root zone with distilled or rain water would be beneficial in areas Cultivation where water quality is poor and,/ormineral content is high. That they are confinedto a climate with such constant, exacting parameters is probably largely responsiblefor difficulty Acknowledgments in cultivating members of the pinnatifid W'e expressour appreciationto Richard group. They are notoriouslydifficult to grow W. Palmer, Pauleen Sullivan, Bill Gun- well and neyer appear as vigorous as those ther, and the International Palm Society in the wild. They seem to do best in a for support and encouragementof Hodel's moderate or slightly cool tropical climate work with Chamaed.orea. In addition, with little variation. These conditions are Michael H. Grayum, of the Missouri difficult to duplicate in cultivation. Even Botanical Garden and stationed in Costa in placesrenowned for benign climate such Rica, shared his valuable ideas and insight as wet areasof Hawaii, plants do not attain and reviewedthe manuscript. John Drans- the same quality as in the wet mountain field critically reviewed the manuscript also. forestsof CostaRica and Panama.In places like California, they fare even worse, tend- LIrrneruno Cnoo ing to hold very few leaves and these are marred by the pinnae with yellow and brown B,tIrrr, L. H. 1943. New palms in Panama and "tip others.Gentes Herb. 6: 198-264. The burn" so characteristic .tips. of Gnayulr, M. H. eNn G. on Nnvrns. 1988. New the pinnatifid group in cultivation is prob- and rare understory palms from the Peninsula ably due to low atmospherichumidity and, de , Costa Rica, and adjacent regions. Prin. to a certain extent, extremes of temper- cipes32(3): l0l I14. ature. Guttteunam, M. A. 1923. Les ChamaedoreaCul. tiv6s. Jour. Soc. Nat. Hort. France. set, 4.24: qqz 0iA Generally, in cultivation plants have LAO-Laa. crowns which are much reduced, being SreNornv, P. C. 1940. Studies of Central Amer- composed of only two-three leaves, and ican plants II. Field. Mus. Nat. Hist. Bot. 22: take on a rather poor appearance.In addi- 326. WnxnteNo, H. 1852. Beschreibuns tion, they are susceptibleto infestations einer neuen of Chamaedorea.Otto & Dietr. All"g.Gartenzeit. mites and thrips in cultivation, especially 2O:2I7 2lB. in areas of low humidity. Naturallv slow- 1880. Beitrag zur Palmenflora Ameri- growing, they are even slower itr "ultirru- ka's. Regel Gartenflora29: l0l 105. tion and, more often than not, languish