Ceroxylon
Ceroxylon is a native to the Andes palm genus.
Features
The representatives are dioecious, scattered, feathery palms. They bloom several times. The stems are often very high and are covered by a thick layer of wax. The leaf scars are apparent. The pinnate leaves are medium to large in size, the convolution of the segments is reduplicat ( Λ - shaped). The sheaths tear and form no crown shaft.
The inflorescences are between the sheets individually in the leaf axils and are branched three - to fourfold. The cover page of the inflorescence surrounds the peduncle incomplete.
The petals are united at their base. The number of stamens is 6 to 15 The scar remains on the fruit stand subbasal.
The chromosome number is 2n = 36
Dissemination and locations
The genus occurs in the higher elevations before the Andes of Venezuela on Colombia, Ecuador and Peru and Bolivia. They come in the foothills and lower montane forests to high before, they often grow in fog regions. When Roden of forests, the palm trees are often left standing. All species are considered endangered. Ceroxylon parvifrons still happens in about 3,500 m above sea level, making it the highest growing palm.
System
Ceroxylon is classified within the family in the subfamily Ceroxyloideae, Tribe Ceroxyleae. The genus is monophyletic. Their sister group is Juania.
In the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the following types are recognized:
- Ceroxylon alpinum
- Ceroxylon amazonicum
- Ceroxylon ceriferum
- Ceroxylon echinulatum
- Ceroxylon parvifrons
- Ceroxylon parvum
- Ceroxylon peruvianum
- Ceroxylon quindiuense
- Ceroxylon sasaimae
- Ceroxylon ventricosum
- Ceroxylon vogelianum
- Ceroxylon weberbaueri
Use
The logs provide wax for candles and matches. The fruits are used as cattle feed.
Documents
- John Dransfield, Natalie W. Uhl, Conny B. Asmussen, William J. Baker, Madeline M. Harley, Carl E. Lewis: Genera palmarum. The Evolution and Classification of Palms. Second edition, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew 2008, ISBN 978-1-84246-182-2, pp. 337-339.
Pictures of Ceroxylon
