Aiphanes acaulis
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| Aiphanes acaulis Galeano & R.Bernal |
Aiphanes acaulis is a spiny palm endemic to western Colombia. As the name of the species implies, A. acaulis is acaulescent - the stem is short and subterranean. Plants have 8 to 10 leaves which are up to 1.5 metres (5 feet) long. The flowers are purple and are borne on an erect inflorescence.
Aiphanes acaulis is known from two small populations in the Chocó Department in western Colombia. It is found at wet lowland to premontane forest at an elevation of 150-700 m (500-2300') above sea level. The species is relatively new to science - a description of the species was first published in 1985, based on specimens collected in 1980. The species is similar in appearance to A. spicata, which is the only other acaulescent species of Aiphanes. Based on floral and pollen characters, the two species do not appear to the closely related.
[edit] References
- Borchsenius, Finn; Rodrigo Bernal (December 1996). Aiphanes (Palmae). Flora Neotropica 70.
