The GenusReinhordtio HAROLD E. MOORE, JR.

A few fortunate gardenerstoday pos- in recent years. grown in the sess plants of one of the varieties of constant conditions of a warm green' Reinhardtia g,racilis, a small but in- house flourish when provided with rich 'owindows" triguing palm with in the humus soil, plenty of water and heat. In . A similar but larger species, the open or under lath in Florida, they R. Iatisecta, was illustrated by M. A. grow more slowly and appearto be sen- Langlois in Principes 1:48, 1957. Three sitive to cold. additional speciesbelong in this unusual Further trials are neededto solve the . All of them are suitable for cul- problems of successfulgrowing. Those tivation and tu'o specieshave been culti- species not yet in cultivation are cer- vated in times past under the name tainly vv-ortha serious attempt at intro- l[alortiea. A technical study of the duction. The handsome appearanceof genuswill shortly appearin GentesHer- R. latisecta has already been shown in how- Principes. Reinhardtia elegans wotid. barum. A less formal approach, "elegant," ever, may provide readers of Principes appear to deservethe epithet with information about plants in cultiva- and the diminutive R, Koschnyana is a tion, with the meansof identifying them, prize to be sought. With the exception and, in addition, may explain why we of R. elegans, plants eventually form call the genrs Reinhard,tia tod,ay clusters of severalstems from an under- ground rhizome and thus may be propa- gated without Reinhardtia in Nature . and, in Cultiaation Reinhardttia aersus Malortiea The five recognized speciesof Rein- hardtia occur in the tropical rain-forests The first record of Reinhardtia ap' of southern , pearedin 1845 when the Danish botanist and northern . They are shade- [,iebmann mentionedthe name only in a loving palms requiring abundant mois- list of Mexican palms he had collected. ture and, where I have seen them in It was not until 1849 that a description Mexico and , are always on of the single species, Reinhariltia ele' rather steep slopes in well-drained soil gans, appeared in Martius' Historia rich in humus. Most reinhardtias grow Naturalis Palmarum. Until 1889, it was at lorv elevations from near sea-levil to supposed that this slender palm with about 2,000 feet, though R. elegansand, evinly pinnate leaveswas the only spe- R. gracilis var..tenuissima are found at cies of the senus. In the meantime,Her' an altitude of about 3,000 feet. mann Wendland, RoYal Gardener at There is far too little information re- Hannover, Germany, described a small garding their requirements in cultiva- Guatemalanpalm of unusualhabit note- tion. Reinhardtia simplex and one or worthy, a-ong other characteristics,for more varieties of ft. gracilis were grown the opening betweenthe basesof-pinnae in European and British greenhousesin that were otherwise united. It was the last century. The same two species called. Malortiea gracili.s; the generic were also cultivated at the Doheny name lJlalortiea coined, in honor of Estate in Los Angeles. California, early Ernst von Malortie' Chief l\{arshal of in this century. New introductions have the Kine of Hannover. brought fresh stocksof R. gracilis varie- Later in the same Year, 1853, Vend- ties and R. simplex into the United States land described specimensof a second 127 species,also from ,to which being, Drymophloeus, Euterpe, Ptycho- he gave the name fuIalortiea latisecta. coccrrs,Ptychosperma (which includes Actinophloeus), Synechanthus, and A few yearslater, a third speciesfrom others less familiar. Even the is Costa Rica, M. simplex, was added to seento be of similar nature. Althoueh the genusand in I90I, lVlalortieaKosch- the pinnae are all separatedin Rein- nyana) one of the smallest of all palms, ha,rdtia elegans, the narrow tips are was describedfrom specimensalso col- toothed in the same manner as the tips lected in Costa Rica. of the segmentsthat unite to make the ',other When W'endland amplified the de- leaf of species as illustrated in scription of Malortiea in describing M. fig. 3. latisecta,he noted a strong resemblance to the sentrs Reinhardtia, but because The Cenus and its Species of the difference in leavesand supposed differences in flolvers he maintained Reinhardtia them apart as did Sir Joseph Hooker Species of Reinlmrd,tia are of mod- when he studied the genera for Cenera erate to very small size with smooth Plantarum. solitarv stems. or more often with loosely clustered stems from an under- Oscar Drude, however, combined the ground rhizome. Leaves have slender two senera when he wrote the treatment tubular sheaths "woven" of tfie palms for Engler and Prantl's of brown fibers Die natiirlichen P Max which are most prominent op- flanzenfamili'en. posite the Burret rdached a similar conclusion petiole where they project when he studied the genera in 1932, upward in a short to rather long ligular though L. H. Bailey continued to sep- structure when young, becoming frayed as the leaf ages. Bladesare pinnate with arate them. Further studv-material on mv own part wilh more abundant than numerous reduplicate pinnae or are pinnately was availablepreviously, and augmented nerved with segments par- by observation of some species in tially or completely united. Pinnae Mexico and Costa Rica, confirms the and segments have numerous fine propriety of uniting Malortiea with the nerves and one principal central earlier Reinhardtia. nerve which extends in a point at the toothed or two-pronged tip. When Supposeddifferences based on inade- quate specimensor erroneous observa- tion disappear. are essentially similar in all species(fig. l), and are unusual among palms in having the sterile stamensof the pistillate (female) Fig. l. FLOWERS OF REINHARDTIA. A, R. elegans. Aa, flowering node (X5), Ab, flowers attached to the base of the pistillate Ilower and bracteole (X5), Ac, pis- petals, partially united in a ring, and tillate corolla (X5), Ad, pistillate corolla ex- often with the short remnants of the panded to show staminodes (X5), Ae, brac- stalks or filaments protruding when the teole (X5), Af, pistillate sepal (X5), Ag, ( is fully opened(fig. I pistil X5) , Ah, pistil in vertical section Cb). The (X5), Ai, ovary in cross section (X10), Aj, degree of rumination (intrusion of the staminate flower ( X5), Ak, androeciurn seed coat) of the endosperm has been (XS). B, R. gracilis var. gracilis, Ba, florv- found a poor distinction for genera ering node ( X5), Bb, pistillate flower and ( when used alone. In Reinhard,tia. the bracteoles X5), Bc, bracteole ( X5), Bd, pistillate corolla ( X5) , Be, pistillate sepal endosperm varies from strongly rumi- (X5), Bf, pistillate corolla expanded to show nate in R, elegans and ft. latisecta, to staminodes (XS), ng, pistil (X5), Bh, pistil weakly or not at all ruminate in the re. in vertical section (X5), Bi, ovary in cross maining species(fig. 2). A similar con- section (Xl0), Bj, staminate {lower (X5), Bk, androecium (X5). gracilis dition is C. R. var. found in other eenera which rostrata. Ca, staminate flower. ( X5) . Cb, have both types of endospelm,examples pistillate flower ar maruriry (X5). 128 ''aT

A /\ /\ll /\ A lf{ Bi \!./ hl Bg Bh ,4N

MBj

129 segmentsare united, the margin of the deeply divided bases and tips with a leif is obliquely and sharply cut. Before single or double point. There is no evi- the blade erpands, the points at tle tips denceof a pistillode. the segmentsare united by a slender of Symmetric pistillate flowers (fig. f rein or lora which soon f ragments Ab-i, Bb-i) are flanked by a pair of per- (fig. 3G). sistent bracteoles that are concave on Inflorescencesappear from the the back. The sepals are strongly im- sheathsof the older leaves. Each is en- bricate and frequently handsomely folded at first by two papery bracts nerved. ,.Petals are imbricate or par- attachedclose togelher at the base of tially united at the base but are valvate the long peduncle. The outer of these above. The grooved tips spread at ma- bracts is short and oPen aL the tiP, turity to show the slender free tips of seldom protruding beybnd the sheath. staminodes that are otherwise united The inner is longer, tubular, pointed, with each other and with the petals (fig. and at first completely enclosesthe in- I Cb) . The pistil consists of a short, florescence, then ruptures along one soft, trilocular ovary bearing l-3 ovules side as the peduncle elongates. Both near the base of an axile placenta con- bracts are usually persistent, the inner tinued in a thickened grooved style, and remaining attached though withering 3 slender stigmas that recurve at and frayins. The inflorescenceis usu- maturity. paniCleof few to many simple or ally a The ellipsoid. ovoid, or obovoid branched rachillae, but in one forked or (fig, 2) is small, smooth, deep purple it is spicate with only a- single species or blackish when ripe, l-seeded, and axis developed. Rachillae are flowering bears the style and remains of the stig- when in flower. As the creamy white mas in a very small to prominentpoint matures. however, they become fruit at its tip. The seed is attached to the and bright orange-red in thickened thin shining endocarp either laterally color. along an impressedraphe or at the basi, Creamy-white flowers are borne in and is more or less iculptured by im- shallow depressionsarranged in a spiral pressed vascular strands. The Lndo- or more iarely nearly in two ranks sperm is ruminate or homoqeneouswith along the rachilla. Each depression is the borne at the baie. subtendedby and partially covered in bud rvith a pointed bractlet. These,for the most pait, bear a staminate (male) flower on either side of a pistillate (female) which does not expand fully until the staminate flowers have fallen (fig. I Aa, Ba). At the tip of the ra- chilla, the pistillate flower may fail to Fig. 2. OF REINHARDTIA. A, R. develop leaving only paired or solitary elegans.Aa. J.ruit( X2), Ab, Ac, seed t y2), Ad. flowers. The slightly asyrn- seed in cross section { X2). B. R. luti- staminate secta. Ba, {ruit (X2), Bb, Bc, seed (X2), metric stsminateflowers (fig. I Aj, Ak, Bd, seed in cross section (X2), C, R. gracilis Bj, Bk, Ca) have a small, generally de- var. gracilis. Ca, fruit ( X2), Cb, Cc, seeci ciduous bracteole at one side of the (X2), Cd, seed in cross section (X2). D. base, three strongly imbricate sepals R. gracilis var. tenuissima. Fruit ( X 2) . E, R. gracilis var. gracilior. Ea, fruit (X2), and three val- Eb, with rounded margins, Ec, seed ( X2) , Ed, seed in cross sectior vate petals 2-3 times as long as the (X2). F, R. gracilis \ar. rostratd,. Fa, fruit sepals. Stamens are 8-40. The short (X2), Fb, Fc, seed (X2), Fd, seed in cross are briefly united amongst section (X2). G, ft. simplex. Ga, fruit (X2), filaments (X2), petals Gb, Gc, seed Gd, seed in cross section themselvesand to the base of the (X2). II, R. Koschnyana. Ha, fruit (X2). in an angled column, but above are dis- Hb, Hc, seed (X2), Hd, seed in cross section tinct. They taper to linear anthers with (x2). 130 fl) \d BC

Bd A

ocd ffi@@Co UD ffi *n- $;.:i)jd'.l f ,j /.1 (l{\, _@ ssHW irlJ I\ , / :1 oFc # Fd wEo Ed fl /tr\ ffifA ti,,,I '/ W /..ffi\ [,flGbffi ffiGc h# M Ho op4 Go Hd oGd

Fig.2

t3l Species ol Reinhardtia are divided into two subgenera distinguished in the key that follows. The key is constructed with emphasis on the leaf for ease in identi{ication.

A. Petiole oI the leaf densely and persistently brown-scurfy, not pale below or with a winged margin; stamens 27-40; seed attached laterally along an impressed raphe, the endosperrn strongly and deeply ruminate Subgenus Reinhardtia

B. Leaves with 38-40 one-nerved slender-tipped pinnae on each side of the rachis; stamens -- ). R. elegans

BB. Leaves with 2-3 pirnae on each side of the rachis, the upper and lower pinnae several- nerved with openings between the segments along the rachis, broad and obliquely toothed alongtheoutermarginl stamensabort27. Guatemala and British . 2.R.latisecta

AA. Petiole pale and narrowly winged along the margin below, loosely covered with minute brown scales when young but soon becoming merely brown-dotted; stamens 8-22i seed attached basally, the raphe little or not impressed, the endosperrn essentially homogeneous but often with minute shallow intrusions below the vascular strands ------. Subgenus Malortiea

"windows" C. Leaves without spaces or between segments along the rachis.

D. Apex of the leaf divided to a depth of 3,/B-1 or rarely ll/2 in., the nerves 10-12 on each side of the rachis; some or all of the leaves usually with a pair of separate pinnae below the apical pair; in{lorescence branched with 3-7 - simple or rarely forked rachillae; stamens generally 14-17, perhaps as {ew as 12,-or as many as 22. Honduras to Panam6. --..4. R. simplex

DD. Apex of the leaf divided 13/4-2 3/8 or rarely only 13/B in., the nerves 8-9 on each side of the rachis and the leaves never with separate pinnae below the apical pair; spicate with only a single flowering axis; stamens B-10. Costa Rica to northerrr Colombia. ---, ,------5. R. Koschnyana

"windows'o CC. Leaves with spaces or between most o{ the segments along the rachis and deeply cle{t at the tip ---3. .R. gracilis

E. Staminate flowers 3/16 -l/4 in. lons with 16-22 stamens.

F. Leaves large, with.14-22 nerves on each side of a rachis ll-23 cm. long; rachillae 6-11,the lower often forked or branched,2S/4-lI7/2 in. long with 16-40 {lowering nodes. Guatemala and Honduras -,,---- var. sracilis

FF. Leaves small, with B-9 nerves on each side o{ a rachis 13/B-21/8 in. long; rachillae 2-3, simple, I9/16-2 in. long bearing B-17 flowering nodes. Oaxaca, Mexico. ---- - ,--,-, var. tenuissima

EE. Staminate Ilowers 1/B -5/32 in. lons with B-10 stamens.

G. Leaves with B"1l nerves on each side of the rachis; fruit with a low apiculate crown; {lowering nodes 6-17 arranged in a loose spiral on the rachiila. Southern Mexico to Honduras. vat. sracilior

GG. Leaves with ll-15 nerves on each side of the rachis; fruit with a prominent blunt crown about 3/32 in. high; flowering nodes 16-37 arranged more or less in 2 ranks at least above the base of the rachillae, Eastern Nicarasua and Costa Rica. var. rostratd

132 l MGb dll

lfl4E Go Fig. 3 LEAF MARGINS AND LORAE OF REINI{ARDTIA. A, R. gracilis var. gracilis. Portion of leaf margin (X2). B, R. gracilis var. tenuissima. Portion of leaf margin (X2). C, R, simplex. Portion of leaf margin (X2). D, R. Koschnyana.Portion of leaf margin (X2). E, R. elegans.Apex of pinna (X2). F, R. latisecta. Portion of leaf margin (X2). G. R. gracilis \at. rostrd,ta. Ga., portion of unexpanded leaf to show lorae (X2), Gb, attachrnent of individual segment to lora enlarged.

t33 l. RnInH.c,nDrIAELEGANs (figs. \4,2L, 2. RnrwnanDrrALATISEcTA (figs. 28, 3E, 4, 5). 3F). Solitaryerect stems of R. eleg,ansmay Stemsof R. latisectaare caespitosein reach a heieht of nearly 20 feet. but clumps of 8-9, reaching a height of 26 hear fruit when much smaller. Ten to ft.. a diameter of 2l/2 in. About 10 trvelve leaves with stout sheaths about leaves with sheaths to l0 in. lons are l0 in. long, crown the upper part of the borne along the upper part of the-stem. stern. The graceful blades are slightly The spreadingblades are 18-32 in. long, more than 3 ft. long from persistently with porsistently brown-scurfy wingless brown-scurfy, wingless petioles about 1 petiolesl4-l8 in. long and 2 broad sev- I ft. long, and have 38-40 narrow tapered eral-nervedpinnae inserted 2 L/2 - 4 in. dark green pinnae at regular intervals apart, sometimeswith a l-nerved slender of an inch or more alone each side of pinna inserted betweenthem. There are the rachis. Larger pinnal at the middle 2I-24 nerveson each side of the rachis. of the leaf measure to 16-17 in. long, The lower 7-9 - nerved pinnae curve 5/B in. wide. Those of the baseand tip, toward the tip and measure to 25 in. however, are shorter and narrower. long, 4 l/2 in. wide. The 14-15-nerved Each pinna tapers to a very slender, upper pinnae measureabout 2 ft. long, rather deeply bifid, toothed tip that 6 in. or more wide. They diverge from easily splits or frays. the rachis at an acute angle. The lower margin is longer than the upper, the The inflorescenceis a large panicle of outer margin obliquely and sharply 5-9rachillae 43/4.143/B in. long,the toothed as is that of the lower pinnae. lower of which are often forked, borne on a persistently brown-scurfy peduncle Erect or archins inflorescencesexceed to 3 feet lons. Staminate flowers are the leaves in leneth with the brown abort 5/16 in. long with sepalsl/8 in. peduncle 3 ft. long or more and the long and generally 35-38 stamens, 15-19 simple or once-branchedrachillae thoush as few as 28 or as many aS 40 to B in. lons or more. Staminateflowers havs'been recorded. Pistillate flo*"tt have not been completely described'Wendland, but are nearly as long as the staminatewhen have 27 stamensaccordins to fully developed with sepals 3/16 in. (or perhaps as few as 22 according to long. Staminodesare united to the petals Burret). Fruit is black at maturity, for 3/32 in., then continue in short similar to that of R. elegans in size, projecting filaments. The dark purple shape, and seed. - fruit is ovoid, 5/8 3/4 in. long, Reinhardtia latisecta has been de. abruptly narrowedat the tip. and beais scribed and illustrated as it grows in the an oblong-ellipsoid, somewhat com- Stann CreekValley of British Honduras pressed seed 3/B in. long, attached lat- by M. A. Langlois in Principes I:48-53, erally along an impressedraphe. Endo- 1957. The original specimenswere sent sperm is deeply ruminate. to Wendland by Kegel, a gardener at and were supposedto Reinhardtia elegans has apparently Halle, Germany, have from Guatemala which then never been cultivated. It inhabits the come included British Honduras. There is no mountain forests of southern Oaxaca- modern record for the species outside I north of Niltepec.on Cerro Caracol near British Honduras where it also qrows I Latani, Sierra San Pedro.NolascooTalea, at Rio Grande and Middlesex. I do not and the Cumbre de Teotalcineo-and know of it in cultivation. mountains near Fenix in Chiapas, Mexico, at altitudes generally above The speciesis of unusual interest in "windows" 3,000 and up to 6,000 feet. Figure 4 that it has leaves with very showsa as drawn by Thornam for much like those of R. gracilis but lacks Liebmann's Icones Palmarum at Copen- lhg pale petiole. It has the size,in[lor- hagen with insert fruits added. escence.and fruit of R. elegans.Thus it 134 Fig. 4

REINHARDTIA ELEGANS.

Habit of plant as drawn fr.rr Liebmann's lconcs Palmarun at Copenhagen with insert fruits added. (Reprinted {rom Centes Herbarum 6:259, iig, 137. L943.)

clearly connectsthese speciesformerly brown-scurfy when young, and bears a placed in two' genera. small to large blade with generally 2, 3. Rnrnn,rnorr,l cRACILTs rarely 3-4.pinnae composed,of segments The loosely to densely clustered or united above the base but separated "windows" rarely solitary canelike stemsof R. gra- from eachother by spacesor cilis form attractive leafy massesup to along the rachis. The short- to long- 10 ft. high. Six to twenty leaves are peduncled inflorescence bears 2-Il or borne along the upper part of the stem more slender rachillae all of which may which is clothed with brown fibrous be simple or the lower forked or sheaths up to 6 in. long. A narrowly branched. Flowerine nodes are borne winged petiole23/4 in. to 2 ft. long is in loose spirals o., i.r lru.. rostrata, in pale below in ag€, though loosely 2 ranks along the rachillae. Staminate

I ?q flowers I/B - 1/4 in. long have sepals Florist and,Pomologis 1873: 205, 1873, 3/32 in. long or less and B-22 stamens. is probably the savre. Pistillate flowers are 5/32 - 3/16 in. long. The fruit is 1/2 - 5/B in. long, Two varieties are probably grovn in the generally tapered downward from a United States today. R. G. Wilson has introduced var. rostrata broad upper portion which is tipped from Costa Rica: David with a low point or a prominent trun- Barrv has introduced what is probably cate crown. An ovoid basally atta.ched var. [racilior from Mexico. have seedhas essentiallyhomogeneous endo- I not seenstaminate flowers of the sperm sometimes,however-, with minute latter so cannot be sure of their identity shallow intrusions. until plants flower again. The speciesis variable in its rather R. cnacrr,rs,var. cRAcrlrs (figs. lB, 2C, extensive ranse from southern Mexico 34. 6) to Costa Rica. It is divided into four varieties as indicated in the key on page Variety gracilis is relatively large, 132. Three of these varieties have pre- approaching R. latisecta in size, with viously been described as species, a stemsto 7 ft. high, 7/2 in. in diameter. fourth is newly described. I have con- Leaveshave petioles63/4 - 24 in. long sidered them as constituting a single and l$-22-nerved blades with a rachis specieswell differentiated from R. sim- ^ 5/16 - B 3/B in. long. Lower pinnae plex and R. Koschnyana in the charac- are 4-7-nerved,to 10 in. Iong, 2 I/2 in. teristic fenestrate or 'owindowed" leaf. wide. Upper pinnae are 9-16-nerved,to I[iithin R. gracilis, however, it is dif{i- cult to separatevarieties on characteris- 8 3/B in. long on the lower margin and tics of the leaf, for these overlap, nor to 6 in. wide. The panicle consists of can they always be distinguished b_v 6-Il rachillae nearly I ft. long, the their fruit. Staminatefloweri u.e ,r".".- lower often forked or branched, bear- sarv before exact identification can be ing 16-40 flowering nodes in a loose made. Although the varieties can be spiral. Staminateflowers 3/16 - l/4 in. divided into two groups based on the Iong have 17-22 stamens. Mature fruit number of stamens,the differences do is 9/16 - 5/8 in. long, I/4 - 5/16 in. not seem of specific importance when in diameter with a low apiculatecrown. compared with the variation in number Variety gracilis was first described of stamensin other species,particularly from Guatemalan plants and has been in R. simpler. Perhaps it will someday collected several times in the Depart- be possible to arrive at a better under- ment of lzabal near Puerto Barrios. It standing of the speciesthrough the use also occurs in British Honduras at of experimental techniques. Pueblo Vieio, and in Honduras on the Reinhard,tia gracilis was cultivated in hills outside the United Fruit Com- Europe and England before varietal dif- pany's station in Lancetilla near Tela, ferences were recognized. Plants illus- and on slopesof Mt. Cangrejai near the trated in Curtis's Botanical Magazine Danto River. The specimensfrom Hon- 88: pl. 5291,1862, and in L'Illustration duras are larger than those from British Horticole 9: pI. 327, 1862, appear to Honduras and Guatemala. They have have 9 stamens (though the text states leaveswith L7-22 nerves as opposed to that 10-12 are developed). The general 14-17 nerves,larger and more branched aspect of the plants and their A-nerved panicles with more numerous flowering lower pinnae suggest that they repre- nodes, but otherwise resemblethe type sented var. rostrdta" but without fruit of R. sracilis. I am not aware that one cannot be sure. Similarly, the plant either form of this variety is in cultiva- figured as Malorti.ea simplex in- The tion. 136 l-ig. 5. REINHARDTIA ELEGANS. Parts of a leaf and inflorescence in fruit somewlrat less than l/2 natural size. (Reprinted Itom Gentes Herbarunt 8:190, f ig. 80. 1949.)

tJ/ Fig. 6.

REINFIARDTIA GRACILIS var. CRACILIS. The specimen formerlv in the herbarium at Hannover upon which Wendland based his description oI Malortiea gracilis. Photograph by Nlacbride courtesy of the Chicago Natural HistorY Mttseum.

138 :

Fig. 7. REINHARDTIA GRACILIS var. I'ENIIISSIMA. The specimen in the Bailey Hortoriumon which the varietyis based,

r39 R. cn.tctus var' TENUISSIu,r"(figs. 2D, Stann Creek and Atl{ntida Department 38.7). of Honduras. Variety tenuissima differs from var' I have seenit growing on the forested 3 'ft.s,racilis in its slender stems to about slopes above Zontecomapan between high, 3/16 in. in diameter and in its San Andres Tuxtla and the Atlantic small leaves with only B-9 nerves on Coast in Veracruz, Mexico, where it is eachside of a rachisI3/8 '2 3/16 in' associated with Astrocaryum mexi- long. Lower Pinnae are 3-nerved, canum. The slender canes are incon- nea"rly5 in. long, 11'/16in' wide. Upper spicuousin the tangled undergrowth but pinnaeare 5-6-nerved,to 4 | /2 in. long the bright fruiting inflorescencesstand on the lower margin, I 5/8 in' rnide' out against the green background. It is The petiolemeust.es 4I/4 - 7 I/2 in' presumably this variety that is now and has a short, loosely r,tovenligular srown in Florida and California. structureat its base. Two to three slen- der simple rachillae 2 in. long-with 8-17 R.cnqctLls var. RosrR4ra, {figs. I C.2F). spiralledflowering nodes make up the are panicle. Staminaie flowers are like Variety rostrata is variable. Stems clustered, reach' ihoseof var. gracilis.and fruit appar- usually rather densely ft., a diameter ently resemblesthat of the var. gracilior' ins a heiehtof nearly5 of"9/ l6 in. Leaveshave petioles5 I /2' the speci- Until flowers were studied, 137/2 in.long,a rachisl1/2'4I/2in. had' been re- mens of var. tenuissima long and generally 2 but rarelY 3-4 thev re- ferred to var. gracilior which pinnae. Louer pinnac are 3-S-nerved, leaf. The variety is semble in size and 7 I /B in. long. i 3/4 in. wide. UpPer wild state in the known only-of from the pinnaeare 8-1O-nerved, to 7 I/B in. long Mexico, where it 'rvide. mountains Oaxaca, on the lower marqin, to 3 3/4 in. Niltepec and near Tepi- occurs north of Rarely the upper pittttae are again par- 3,000 feet or more' napa at altitudes of Iiallv or completelydivided into several- R. cnactrrs var. GRACILIon(figs- 2 E, nerved narrower segmentsof about the 8). samelength. The pinicle has 2-6 simple Variety gracilior has a habit resem- rachillae-lo53/4 in. long on which the bline thit of ltu.. tenu,issimawith stems 16-37 flowering nodes are borne in 2 to about 3 ft. high, 9/32in' in diameter' nearly opposite-ranks,at least above the l,/8 Leaves have petioles to 9 /B in. long base."Stiminate flowers are about and are B-Il-nerved on each side of a in. lone with B-I0 stamens. The mature rachis to 2 3/8 in. long. The lower fruit is ahot I/2 in. long, I/4 in. in pinnaeare 3-4-nerved.to 4 3/-l' in. long, diameter,and is tipped with a prominent I 1/4 in. wide. Upper pinnae.are5-B- truncate crown about 3/32 in. high. in. long on the lower nerved,Lo 5 3/4 Plants assigned to var. rostrlta I/8 in. wide. The panicle marsin,"3-B to 2 differ almost as much amongst them- rachillae to 3 5/16 in' has slender selves in resard to the leaf as do the of which are sometimes lone. the lower various varieties of R. gracilis, though 6-17 flowering nodes in for(ed, bearing the inflorescenceand fruit are relatively Staminate flowers to a loose spiral. constant. Four forms are found near have B-10 stamens.The 5/32 in. lbns the coast and on higher ground inland --9/16 in. long, about 5/16 fruit is I/2 from eastern south into with a low apiculate in. in diameter eastern Costa Rica. These are not des- crown. isnated formally in a botanical sense Although variety gracilior resembles f"orthev cannotbe distinguishedby exact var. tenuissino in habit it differs in its means. The typical form-,that which was staminate flowers and is found at low first described as R. rostrata, occurs in elevationsfrom Veracruz and Oaxaca the lower reaches of the Reventazon in Mexico, south to British Honduras at River in CostaRica and near the Ocong- r40 Fig. B.

REINHARDTIA GRACILIS vaT. GRACILIOR. A plant growing along banks of the Coatzacoalcos River at Buenaventura. Veracruz. Mexico. Photograph courtesy Plant Introduc- tion Section, U.S. Department of Aericulture.

was River in Nicaragua. It has large 2 pinnae and 12-13 nerves" Finally, a leaveswith 2-3 pinnae and 1l- mostly fourth form from Rio Luis and Pejivalle, 13-15nerves. Without the inflorescence, CostaRica, at altitudes of 2,300 to 3,000 leaves would be easily confused with feet has leaves scarcely separable from those of R. gracilis var. gracilis. those of var. tenuissima. A second form from the San Carlos The third form from the region of plains of Costa Rica has smaller leaves Turrialba (and often collectedby botan- with 3-4 pinnae and 13-15 nerves on ists near Inter-American each side of the rachis. A third from the Institute the vicinity of Turrialba, Costa Rica, of Agricultural Sciences)has been in- and Libertad, Nicaragua, at elevations troduced into cultivation recently. It of 1.500 feet or more has leaves much may be the same as the one grown in resembling those of var. gracilior, with Europe nearly a century ago. 141 4, Rnrlrgennrra sIMPLEx(figs. 2G' 3C, of R. Koschnyana from which they are e). distinguished by the more numerous nervesand the very shallowly cleft apex,' Stems of R. simPlex are sometimes late-suckeringand appear to be solitary 5. RnInu.q,nlrIe Koscnnv.s.lrA. (figs. but they ordlnarily fbrm clusters of a few slender canelike stemsto 4 ft' high, 2H, 3D, 10). in. in diameter,sheathed with abotfiI/4 Several slender stems from a hori- B-20 leaves in the upper portion' The zontal rhizome form a cluster 16-28 in. leaf sheathsare to 3 1/8 in' long' the each stem clothed with brown fi' slenderpetioles to 6 | /2 in. long. These high, 2 in. are paldand roundedbelow with a very brous sheaths scarcely exceeding nur.tt winglike margin, flat above' in length along the upper portion. The 43/4 in' lishtly'ottly brow"n'scurfy when young but 6-14 leaves have a petiole to so"ott brown-dotted. Deep green long which is pale and rounded with feaf bladesare either simple and 61/2' narrowly winged margins beneath, ancl 8I/4 in.long, to 43/4 in. wide, 10-12 a small B-9-nervedtoothed blade to 9 in. pair of "windows" or rarely 8-neived,ortheylave a long, 3 in. wide, lacking pinnae below the 7-8' slender3-4-nerved along the rachis, undivided except at apex. When present, the low-er nerved tlre apex,where cleft for I3/4-23/B or oinnaeare 43/4'6 in. long.to I9/16 very rarely only I 3/8 in. A slender in. *ide and very obliquely-toothedand inflorescencehas a flowering axis tanered at the tip. The apex of the leaf spicate is cleft only for S/g-t o. iarely 1 I/2 in' 23/8-3I/2 in. long on which flowers Three to sevenslender rachillae to 3 3i8 are borne at 17-25 nodes. Staminate in. long are simple or rarely the lower flowers measureabout 1/B in. long and are bra"nched.T[ev are borne at the end have B-10 stamens. Fruit is broadest of a peduncleto i8 in. long and have near the tip, 7/16-I/2 in. long, I/4- 7-21fiowering nodes in a spiral. Stamin- 5/16 in. in diarneter,with a low apicu- have 12 ate flowers l/B-5/32 in. long late crown. The oblong-ellipsoid seed stamens. The fruit is or usually 14-19 has homogeneousendosperm. l/2-9/16 in. long and is broadestnear the tip where it.is capped with a low Reinhardtia Koschnyanais one of the apiculate crown' The--oblong-ellipsoid most diminutive palms and for many s-eedhas homogeneousendosPerm. years was known only from specimens Plate5247 of Curtis's Botanical Maga- collectedin Costa Rica. It is now known zine \1861) figuresa plant of Reinhard' [o occur in Nicaragua, Panam6,and Co' ria simplex piesented to K9r1- b-'* H"-t- lombia as well. The plants from Co- probably brought mann V'endland,and lombia have been ealled,Malortiea pu- CostaRiia' Early in this bv him from nila bfi study of a series of specimens century R. simpl'ex was also grown -on shows them to be the same as R. the Doheny Estate in California. A few plants grown from Costa Rican Koschnyana. but are cultivated in Florida and Nassau The speciesis rarely encounteredin rare in cul' the speciesis undeservedly the wild state and has not been reported tivation. In the wild state,however, it in cultivation, though it surely deserves is widely distributed at altitudes up to to be grown. In Nicaragua, R. Koschny' 2,300 feit but usually at less than 1,000 in Zelaya Depart' feet from Honduras and Nicaragua to ana has been found The habit is similar to that of ment,in CostaRica on the plains of San Panam6. "win' R. sracilis. The small leaveslack Carlosin Alajuela Provinci. in Panam6 dows" along the rachis and, though gen- in ChepisanaDistrict of Darien Prov' erally with a pair of pinnae below the ince, anlin Colombiain Antioquia and apical pair, sometimes resemble those Choc6 Provinces. 142 .ri.il

Fig. 9.

REINHARDTIA SIMPLEX. The specimen {ormerly in the herbarium at Vienna upon lhich Wendland based his descriptior oI Malortiea simplex. Photograph by Macbride, corutesy o{ the Chicago Natural History Nluseum.

143 ,:.',,V:,.,, & wqs trq& 6{

Fig. 10. REINHARDTIA KOSCHNYANA. Photographof a specintennow ill the U.S. Natutul Herbarium collectedon the plains of San Carlos,Costa Rica, by Cookand DoYlein 1903.

144 Synonymy

var. The essential synonymy of the accepted Rrrxn,lntrrrl cRACILIS var. TENUTSSTMA tenui- species and varieties oI Reinharihia' including nov. Ab. var. gracili differt caulibus 3.5- necessarytransfers and description' is {ollowed bus foliis parvis B-9'nervatis rachibus Typus: a list of names or species that are no longer 5.5 cm. longis ligulis brevibus. by "La included in the genus. Mexico'l Oaxaca, Finca Gloria" north Ruusanorre Liebmann in Martius, Historia of Niltepec, 1,000'1,250 m. alt., Apr. 3' Naturalis Palmarum 3:31I. 1849. 7946, E. Hernandez Xolocotzi & A. I. (Bailey Illalortiea H. Wendland, in Allgemeine Gar- Sharp X-1291 Hortorium). tenzeitung 2l:25, 145. 1853. Rrrxnennrre KoscnNvlxe (H. Wendland & Rrrxnlnorre ELEGANSLiebmann, Loc. cit. Dammer) Burret, in Notizblatt des Bo' RnrunenrrI.l cRAcILIs (H. Wendland) Burret, tanischen Gartens Berlin 11:554. 1932. Ber- in Notizblatt des Botanischen Gartens Malortiea Koschnyana H. Wendland & lin Il:554. 1932. Dammer, in Gardeners'Chronicle, series 3, RntNltennrrl cRAcILrsvar. cRACILIS 29:341. 1901. Malortiea gracilis II. Wendland, in Allge' Malortiea pumila Dngand, in Revista de la meine Gartenzeitung 2l:26, 146' 1853. Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exac- Rr:rNnlnorre cRAcILISvar. cRAcILIoR (Burret) tas, Fisico-Quimicas y l\aturales 7:515. stat. nov. 19s0. Reinhardtia gracilior Burret, in Notizblatt Rrrrn.lnotle LArIsEcrA (lI. Wendland) Bur' des Botanischen Gartens Berlin 11:555. 1932. ret, in Notizblatt des Botanischen Gartens Berlin 1l:554. 1932. Rrtuu,lnorll cRAcILIs var. RosTRATA(Burret) H. Wendland, in Allge- stat. nov. ilIalortiea latisecta meine Gartenzeitung 21:146. lB53' Reinhardtia rostrdta Burret, in Notizblatt (H. des Botanischen Gartens Berlin ll:554. RnrNuennrra sIMpLEx Wendland) Bur' in Notizblatt des Botanischen Gartens 1932 fncimen] and in Annalen des Natur- ret, historischen Museums Wien 46:228. 1933. Berlin II:554. 1932. Malortiea rostrata (Burret) L. H. Bailey, in Malortiea simplex i{' Wendland, in Bot' Gentes Herbarum 6:260. 1943. anische Zeitung 17:5. 1859.

ExcludedJpecres

Mabrrtea intermed'id H. Wendland in Ker- Malortiea Tuerckheimii Dammer, in Notiz' chove, Les Palmiers 250. 1878 [name only]. blatt des Botanischen Gartens Berlin 4:157. Kerchove, Malortiea lacerata H. Wendland in 1904 & 259. 1906= Tuerckheimii Les Palmiers 250. IBTB only]. [name (Dammer) Burret. Malortiea sirniarum Standley & L. O. Wil- Reinhard'tia spinigera L. H. Bailey, in Gentes liams, in Ceiba 3:102. 1952-Euterpe simiarum B:191. 1949. Rejected species based (Standley & L. O. \ffilliams) tr. nov. Herbarum on mixed collection, the leaves of which be- Malortiea speciosa Hort. ex. H. Wendland a in Kerchove, Les Palmiers 250. IBTB lnarne long to a species o{ Bactris, the inflorescence onlyl. to Reinhard,tia elegans. r45