Pholidostachys panamensis Information

Pholidostachys panamensis Information

Identification:
Stems 1.1(0.1-3.0) m long, 7.4(4.0-11.0) cm diameter, solitary. Leaves 12(8-19) per stem; sheaths 21.5(15.0-27.0) cm long; petioles 102.1(36.0-150.0) cm long; rachises 126.1(72.0-155.0) cm long, 8.8(6.1-11.1) mm diameter; pinnae 6(5-8) per side of rachis; basal pinna 52.8(28.5-78.0) cm, long, 5.2(0.7-10.0) cm wide, angle with the rachis no data; apical pinna 42.4(32.5-49.5) cm long, 18.0(10.0-27.0) cm wide, forming an angle of 17(10-28)� with the rachis. Inflorescences spicate, with a short peduncle, absent rachis, and 1 rachilla, this erect at anthesis; prophylls and peduncular bracts fibrous, covering all or part of the rachilla at anthesis; prophylls 15.2(11.5-18.5) cm long; peduncular bracts 20.2(19.0-22.5) cm long, inserted 3.3(2.0-5.0) cm above the prophyll; peduncles 4.6(3.5-6.2) cm long, 10.0(8.2-13.5) mm diameter; rachilla 1, 13.6(11.5-15.5) cm long, 10.0(8.2-12.1) mm diameter; proximal lips of flower pits regularly shaped, rounded, completely covering pits before anthesis and not recurved; fruits widely obovoid, without pronounced longitudinal ridges, 28.6(22.5-32.1) mm long, 20.8(18.1-24.5) mm diameter.

General Information:
Differs from other species in its spicate inflorescences and widely obovoid fruits without pronounced longitudinal ridges.

Distribution:

Native to, Panama

From 8°34'-9°25'N and 78°48'-80°56'W in Panama at 483(60-768) m elevation in lowland rainforest. There are two separate populations occurring 170 km apart in Panama. The western population, on the eastern end of the Central Cordillera, has shorter stems, shorter petioles, and shorter and thinner basal pinnae than the eastern population, on the western end of the Serranía de San Blas. The western population also occurs at a higher mean elevation- 722(695-768) m versus 303(60-450) m.

Location: Panama (9.064850°N, -80.244141°E)

Observations