Journalof the InternationalPalm Society Vol. 8(4) December2004 THE INTERNATIONATPALM SOCIETY,INC. The International Palm Society PalmS (formerlyPRINCIPES) Journalof The InternationalPalm Society Founder:Denl Smi[h An illustrated,peer-reviewed quarteriy devoted to ThelnternaLional Palm Society is a nonpro[itcorporation informationabout palms and publishedin March, engagedin thestudv ol palms.The society is inter- June, Septemberand Decemberby The lnternationalPalm nationalin scopewith worldwidemembership, and the Society,810East 1Oth St., P.O. Box 1897, Lawrence, formatronof regionalor localchapters affiliated with the Kansas66044'8897, USA. internationalsociely is encouraged. Please address all inquiriesregarding membership or inlormalionabout Editors: Dransfield,Herbarium, Royal Botanic the societyto The InternationalPalm Society Inc., P.O. John Cardens,Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AF.United Box 1692,Lawrence, Kansas 66044,8897, USA. e-mail Kingdom,e-mail j.dransfield@rbgl<ew.org.uk, tel.44-20- [email protected],tax 785-84 3-1 27 4. 8332-52) 5, Fax 44-20-8332-527B. OFFICERS: ScottZona, Fairchild Tropical Carden, 1 1935 Olcl Cutler Road,Coral Gables (Miami), Florida 33156, USA, e-mail President: PaulCraft, l6745WestEpson Drive. [email protected],tel. 1 -305-667-1 65.1 ext. Loxahatchee,Florida 33470 USA, e-mail 3419,Fax 1 -305-665-8032. [email protected],tel.l-561 -5 l4-1837. AssociateEditor: NatalieUhl, 228 PlantScience, Vice-Presidents:Bo-Coran Lundkvist, PO Box 2071, CornellUniversity, lthaca, New York14853, USA, e-mail Pahoa,Hawaii 96778 USA, e-mail nwul @cornell.edu,tel. 1-607 -257 -0885. [email protected],lel.I -808-965-0081. LelandLai, 21480 Colina Drive, Topanga, Calilornia Supplement Editor: JimCain, 12418 Stafford Springs, 9A290USA, e-mail [email protected], tel. 1-310- Houston,fexas 77077, USA, e-mail 973-5275. 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Box1897, Lawrence, Kansas 66044-8897, USA, or Zona,Florida. 2004-2O08: Lyle Arnold, California; Bill bv e-mailto palms@allenpress.(om Baker,lexas; Libby Besse, Florida; leff Brusseau, CaliIornia;jim Cain,Texas; Paul Crdft, Floridd; De John Periodicalpostage paid at Lavrrence.l(S, USA. Moll, Florida;Carrin Fullington, Hawaii; Haresh, India; RolfKyburz, Auslralia; Leland Lai, California; leonel Postmaster:Send address changes to The lnternational Mera,Dominican Republic; Larry Noblick, Florida; fohn PalmSociety, P.O. Box 1897,Lawrence, Kansas 66O44- Kees,LdlrloTnta; 5ue Rowlands, Ldltlornta; Howard 889/, USA. Waddell,Florida. PALrvlS(rSSN Bookstore: Tim Cooke,PO Box 1911, Fallbrook,CA 1 523-4495) 92088-191 1 USA,e-mail [email protected] Mailedat Lawrence,Kansas Decemb er 9, 2004 Chapters: SeeIisling in Roster. A 2004The lnternationalPalm Society Website: www.pa I ms.org This publication is printed on acid-free paper, FRONTCOVER Chomaedoreapaucifloraln periodicall,v flooclecl forest, Lrrretr).fef11. Sre ar-ticle nage I67 by-J.-tl.Pintaud and B. ,\tilhn. PALMS Volume 48(4) 2004 CONTENTS Hyospathe Features 161 A. HENDERSON News from the World of Palms 160 Notes on Chamaedorea in Peru 167 J.-C. PINTAUD & B. MILLÁN Classifieds 166, 181 Index to Volume 48 204 A Traditional Irrigation System Using 175 Palmyra Palm (Borassus flabellifer) in Statement of Ownership 207 Kerala, India V.S. Ramachandran, K. Swarupanandan & C. Renuka Diversity of Use of Doum Palm 184 (Hyphaene compressa) Leaves in Kenya C.J.M. AMWATTA Introduction of a Multipurpose 191 Palm, Phoenix pusilla, in Kuwait C. SUDHERSAN New Species of Livistona (Arecaceae) 197 from New Guinea J.L. DOWE & J.P. MOGEA BACK COVER Another view of the same palm, Asterogyne martiana, shown on the A well grown specimen of Asterogyne martiana, as seen on the recent IPS back cover. (Photo by S. Zona) Biennial trip to the Lyon Arboretum, Hawai’i. IPS members will be saddened to learn that the Lyon Arboretum is now closed to the public. See News from the Word of Palms, p. 160. (Photo by S. Zona) 159 PALMS Volume 48(4) 2004 NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF PALMS During the IPS Biennial in Hawai’i last May, many Marie Selby Botanical Gardens and the University IPS members were thrilled to see the spectacular of South Florida Botanical Gardens. Bok Tower palm collection at the Lyon Arboretum. We are Gardens, in Lake Wales, Florida, sustained some now deeply saddened to learn that the Arboretum, damage but has reopened. Dr. Angela Leiva, operated by the University of Hawai’i, has been Director of the Jardín Botánico Nacional, Cuba, closed by UH officials as of 27 August 2004. Citing reported some losses in the palm collection, but health and safety concerns, including structural redundancy in the collection prevented any instability of some buildings, electrical short- species from being lost. The exception to this comings and safety of pathways, UH officials generally optimistic report is the Queen Elizabeth closed the Arboretum to visitors. One building is II Botanic Park in the Cayman Islands; we have open to staff members to carry on Arboretum heard reports of near total devastation. We hope business and upkeep, but several other buildings the garden and its staff make a speedy recovery. are closed until further notice. In a statement Away from the tropics, in the calm, windless released to the press, Jim Gaines, UH Interim Vice conditions of the great Palm House at Kew, Attalea President for Research, said, “We are reluctantly butyracea flowered in May this year for the first closing the facility to public access pending a more time. While this may not seem to be particularly in-depth inspection and review of the buildings newsworthy, the palm in question is the most and grounds.” massive of all the palms in the Palm House The Lyon Arboretum contains many beautiful collection, and it has grown lustily since it was specimens of rare palms seldom, if ever, cultivated planted there in 1984 after the glasshouse was elsewhere in the USA. IPS Biennial attendees will restored. Now virtually reaching the roof but with remember Ray Baker’s presentation and intro- a scarcely evident trunk, it is a spectacular sight. duction to the Arboretum, highlighting its historic It thrust out an inflorescence bearing both male legacy and its tremendous palm diversity. We and female flowers, which in itself is unusual, as sincerely hope UH will be able to make speedy species of Attalea tend to have entirely male repairs and reopen the Lyon Arboretum so that the inflorescences when they flower for the first time. public can again enjoy this treasure of a botanical Male flowers on the Kew palm appeared to have garden. empty anthers so fruit set is unlikely. On a happier note, the recent spate of hurricanes Folks in South Florida will soon have the in the Caribbean and Southeastern US seemed to opportunity to see one of the marvels of the plant have spared many of the area’s botanical gardens. world: the flowering of Corypha umbraculifera. A While we are concerned for IPS members and plant at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is others who have suffered significant storm putting out an inflorescence, which will produce damage from Hurricanes Charlie, Frances, Ivan thousands of flowers and fruits. After the fruit and Jeanne, we are pleased to report no irreparable ripen, the palm will die. The dramatic event and damage at the following gardens: the Atlanta heroic climax are much anticipated. The last time Botanical Garden, Fairchild Tropical Botanic one flowered at FTBG was in 1984. Garden, Huntsville Botanical Gardens, Harry P. Leu Gardens, the Montgomery Botanical Center, THE EDITORS 160 PALMS Henderson: Hyospathe Volume 48(4) 2004 ANDREW HENDERSON New York Botanical Garden Hyospathe Bronx, New York 10458 USA 1. Hyospathe macrorachis in Ecuador - note the elongate inflorescence borne amongst the leaves, and red flowers. Statistical analysis of characters displayed by herbarium specimens of a palm genus allows botanists to develop a more objective method of deciding how many species there really are in the genus, instead of relying on more subjective, intuitive approaches. Here this more objective approach is applied to Hyospathe. PALMS 48(4): 161–166 161 PALMS Henderson: Hyospathe Volume 48(4) 2004 By 1964, the year the eminent German palm Rather it is based on intuition and subjectivity. taxonomist Max Burret died in Berlin, there were When different taxonomists look at the same 18 recognized species of Hyospathe, eight of them specimens, they come up with different numbers described by Burret himself. Twenty-five years of species, with all the associated confusion in later, only two remained (Skov & Balslev 1989).