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Coccothrinax alta

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Coccothrinax alta
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Arecales
Family: Arecaceae
Genus: Coccothrinax
Species:
C. alta
Binomial name
Coccothrinax alta

Coccothrinax alta (palma plateada, palma de abanico,[1] Tyre palm)[2] is a palm which is native to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Like other members of the genus, C. alta is a fan palm. Trees are 2–6 m tall, with some individuals getting up to 11 m. Flowers are light yellow, and fruit are purple-black when ripe. It is found on lower elevations, but to 350 m above sea level.[1]

It is found on limestone substrates in northern Puerto Rico, and on volcanic substrates on the islands off eastern Puerto Rico. It has been recorded from Puerto Rico proper, Vieques and Culebra; Saint Croix, St. Thomas and St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands; and Guana Island, Tortola and Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands.[1]

George Proctor (in Acevedo-Rodríguez & Strong, 2005[1]) considers this to be a valid species on the basis of its shorter, more slender trunk, fewer stamens and much smaller fruit. Rafaël Govaerts[3] follows Read (1979) and considers it a synonym of Coccothrinax barbadensis.

References

  1. ^ a b c d Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro; Mark T. Strong (2005). "Monocots and Gymnosperms of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands". Contributions of the United States National Herbarium. 52: 1–405.
  2. ^ "Coccothrinax images". Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Guide to Palms. Archived from the original on 2010-11-29. Retrieved 2007-11-13.
  3. ^ "Coccothrinax alta". Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Retrieved 2019-02-25.