Difference between revisions of "Calyptrogyne ghiesbreghtiana"

Revision as of 02:18, 26 November 2012

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Trinidad, West Indies

Calyptrogyne ghiesbreghtiana
Hawaii.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Calyptrogyne Species: ghiesbreghtiana
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
America
Morphology
Habit: Solitary Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Vampire palm, or Coligallo palm.

Habitat and Distribution

Rainforests from sea level up to 1500m (4800') into the cloud forests, of southeast Mexico, and Central America.

Description

The Vampire palm (in reference to its being pollinated by bats), or Coligallo palm which is spanish for rooster tail. This is an understory palm. Trunk type: Solitary, with a mostly subterranean stem. Hight: To 2 meters (6.5') tall. Leaf detail: V-shaped, or bifid, with 3 to 9 other divisions in the leaf, to become partially pinnate, with a length to 1.2m (4'), and dark green. Flower detail: The flowers are produced all year round, on upright inflorescences; they are monoecious, with complete temporal separation of the male and female stages. The flowers are pollinated by bats. Simple paper thin leaves that split unevenly, (may resemble a pinnate leaf), inflorescence a single spike with a distinctive ring left by the spathe, bat pollinated flowers have a garlic odor.

Special note: There are variable species, with four accepted subspecies, Calyptrogyne ghiesbreghtiana subsp. glauca, Calyptrogyne ghiesbreghtiana subsp. ghiesbreghtiana, Calyptrogyne ghiesbreghtiana subsp. hondurensis, Calyptrogyne ghiesbreghtiana subsp. spicigera. Editing by edric.

Culture

Requirements: Full to partial shade when young, filtered light when mature, consistently moist soil, well drained position. Although found at cool altitudes, it isn't very frost tolerant. Very popular with palm collectors.

Comments and Curiosities

Because the flowers are made of a sweet chewable tissue (like the pulp of a fruit) they are much favoured by katydids (Tettigoniidae), whose feeding reduces the number of flowers available to be pollinated. The inflorescences host a species of mite (Acari) which live and reproduce on the inflorscence and travel to new inflorescences by hitching a ride on the flower-visiting bats. The behaviour of parasitising another animal for transport but not food is known as phoresy. A similar phenomenon which has been more comprehensively surveyed are the mites that live in flowers visited by hummingbirds and are phoretic on these flower-visiting birds.

External Links

• Glossary of Palm Terms
• Pronunciation Key

References

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

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

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