Difference between revisions of "Lytocaryum hoehnei"

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Corupá, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Photo by Gilio Giacomozzi, edric.

Lytocaryum (ligh-toh-KAR-yuhm) hoehnei (hoh-EHN-ee)
Corupá, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Photo by Gilio Giacomozzi, edric.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Lytocaryum (ligh-toh-KAR-yuhm) Species: hoehnei (hoh-EHN-ee)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
America
Morphology
Habit: Solitary Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Hoehne's Miniature Coconut Palm

Habitat and Distribution

Brazil - São Paulo, on the Atlantic plateau. In southern Brazil, L. hoehnei is confined to a patch of mountainous forest between 800 and 975 m of elevation, in nearly year-round rain; there it is almost extinct. L. weddellianum is found on Brazil's southeastern coast where development has also caused it to become endangered. It grows in rain forest to 900 m in elevation; both are restricted to filtered light and humus-rich soil.

Description

Solitary, pinnate palm. Height up to 5m.

Culture

I have grown this palm in San Jose, CA for nearly 6 years and no matter how low the temperature has been, close to 24F one year, not even a spot. One plant grows up against the house, (too close). Never any damage. Two other plants grow well away from the house under 50% shade cloth and never is there even a spot on them in the winter. Any new ones I get will be placed in higher light conditions as I think they want more light then I'm giving them. I saw a nearly full grown specimine on the Island of Maui and it was in near full sun and it was beautiful. (SanJoseDaveforPalms), edric.

Comments and Curiosities

Etymology:The genus name is Greek for "loose" and "nut". The ephitaph named after Brazilian botanist of the 20th century, Frederick C. Hoehne (1882-1959).

Endemic to Brazil, where two species are known. Palms once classified as Microcoelum are herein included; the genus is closely related to Syagrus, from which it is differentiated only by abundant tomentum, strongly versatile anthers, and slight epicarp, mesocarp, and endocarp differences. Both species are solitary trunked, closely ringed and retain leaf sheaths at the top of the stem. The trunks reach 15 cm in diameter to 4.5 m in height, but are usually just half that in cultivation. The spherical leaf crown consists of numerous pinnate leaves to 75 cm long on hairy, 30 cm petioles. The pinnae are 12 cm long, closely and regularly arranged along the rachis, in the same plane, green on top with gray, glaucous undersides. The inflorescence is interfoliar and once branched, covered in brown hair, with unisexual flowers of both sexes. The female flowers are twice as big as the male's, both with three sepals and three petals. The fruit is globose to ellipsoidal, pink to red, with one seed.

L. weddellianum is a commonly potted plant throughout Europe which may save it from extinction, but L. hoehnei is essentially unknown in cultivation. The former demands shade and rich, friable, quickly draining soil with some acidity; the latter would likely require the same if cultivated.

This slightly larger and more robust cousin of the popular Lytocaryum weddellianum is native to montane forests in São Paulo State in Brazil. It has a slender trunk that can reach about 5 m (16 ft.) tall, topped by a crown of elegant, feathery leaves. The leaflets are distinclty wider than in L. weddellianum and the seeds have a harder shell, more like a Syagrus. It is highly threatened with extinction by destruction of its forest habitat and even in cultivation it is extremely rare, apart from a handful of plants in a few enthusiasts' collections. L. hoehnei does best in mild, humid subtropical or cool subtropical climates. (RPS.com), edric.

External Links

• Glossary of Palm Terms
• MODERN BOTANICAL LATIN
• "Just To Be Clear"
• A Must See

References

Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.

Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos, edric.

Special thanks to Palmweb.org, Dr. John Dransfield, Dr. Bill Baker & team, for their volumes of information and photos, edric.

Glossary of Palm Terms; Based on the glossary in Dransfield, J., N.W. Uhl, C.B. Asmussen-Lange, W.J. Baker, M.M. Harley & C.E. Lewis. 2008. Genera Palmarum - Evolution and Classification of the Palms. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. All images copyright of the artists and photographers (see images for credits).

Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.