Syagrus macrocarpa

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Figure 1. S. macrocarpa in habitat

Synonymy:

Several (see the RBG Species List)

Common Names:

Maria Rosa Palm,
Maria-Rosa,
baba-de-boi-grande,
arioba.

Distribution & Habitat:

Atlantic coastal areas of south-eastern Brazil.

Description:

A very distinctive, slender, medium-sized palm to about 10m tall, with a crown of gracefully arching, plumose leaves with curly leaflets. It is similar to S. romanzoffiana, but far more elegant and gracefull.

General:

Becoming very rare in the wild, but not yet extinct.

Culture:

Sunny, well drained position. Apparantly as easier to grow as the ubiquitious Syagrus romanzoffiana, tolerating warm temperate thru to tropical conditions. However the seed is very difficult to germinate, with rates typically about 5%.

Figure 2. S. macrocarpa leaf detail,showing the plumose leaves, and curly leaflets.

Figure 3. S. macrocarpa inflorescence

Figure 4. S. macrocarpa

Contributed by:

Gileno Machado (Figure 1)
Ricardo Assis Figure (2,3&4)

External Links:

Kew, PalmWeb, IUCN, JSTOR, Trebrown

Google, GoogleImages, Flickr, PalmTalk