Copernicia
Copernicia prunifera
Copernicia is an American palm genus. From the leaves of some species wax is obtained, as of the carnauba palm ( Copernicia prunifera ) carnauba wax. Other species are grown as ornamental plants.
- 5.1 Notes and references
Features
The representatives are medium to large, mostly single -stemmed palm trees. They grow slowly, are reinforced, bisexual and repeatedly flowering. The trunk is partially or completely covered with the leaf sheaths of dead leaves.
The chromosome number is 2n = 36
The leaves are fan-shaped ( or Palmat costapalmat ) and induplicat ( they tear along the fold lines on the adaxial side of the leaves on ). The leaf sheath is fibrous, the petiole may be absent, be short or long. Its edges are occupied with teeth. The adaxial Hastula is short to very long, coriaceous, triangular, unarmed or prickly, an abaxial Hastula missing. The leaf blade is wedge-shaped to circular. At a quarter to one-third the length of the base is divided into single folded segments. Its edge is often prickly. You are stiff, thick, the ribs are covered with dense hair.
Inflorescences
The inflorescences are between the sheets ( intrafoliar ) and often extend beyond the leaves. They are often densely hairy branches and up to six times. The peduncle is long, narrow and elliptical in cross section. The cover page is Roehrig. There are zero to a bract on peduncle, which is apparently two leaves and split at the top. The inflorescence axis is equal to or longer than the stem. The bracts of the inflorescence axis are Roehrig, with tight-fitting vagina. On every side branch of the first order is a cover page, the following bracts are Roehrig cleaved with tight-fitting sheath and at the top. They are too small and lack the outward Rachillae, but can also be present there. The Rachillae ( flower-bearing axes) are short to medium in length, stocky to slender, often curved back. In them sit spirally arranged membranous bracts, each bearing a single flower or 2 to 4 flowers. The group and each individual flower is supported by a bract.
Flowers
The flowers are hermaphrodite. Their sepals are fused together into a three-lobed cup with a thick base, the lobes are usually pointed. The crown is generally in the lower part Roehrig above three valvaten cloth having on the inside of clear bags and furrows. The six stamens are connected to their stamens into a cup, standing on the corolla tube mouth. The free Filamentlappen are narrowed to narrow ends. The anthers are usually small, oval or oblong, dorsifix and latrors. The three carpels are free at the base. The pens are down wide, narrows and overgrown. The scar is punctiform. The ovules stand erect, basal, and are anatrop. The pollen is ellipsoidal and slightly to significantly asymmetric. The germ is opening a distal sulcus. The longest axis miss 24 to 38 microns.
Fruits
The fruits are ovoid or spherical. In most cases, the fruit develops from only one of the three carpels. The exocarp is smooth, somewhat fleshy mesocarp with the fibers, the endocarp is moderately thick and crusty. The seed is ovoid to globose, sits basally and has a large, oval basal scar ( hilum ). The endosperm is deeply grooved ( ruminat ). The embryo is subbasal.
Dissemination
Of the three species occur in South America, two in Hispaniola and the other in Cuba. The Caribbean species growing in savannas and open forests of the lowlands of rather dry locations. The South American species form natural pure stands.
System
The genus Copernicia is placed in the subfamily Coryphoideae, Tribe Trachycarpeae within the family Arecaceae. However, within the tribe can not be assigned to subtribe. The monophyly of the genus has not yet been investigated.
In the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the following types are recognized:
- Copernicia alba
- Copernicia baileyana
- Copernicia berteroana
- Copernicia brittonorum
- Copernicia cowellii
- Copernicia curbeloi
- Copernicia curtissii
- Copernicia ekmanii
- Copernicia fallaensis
- Copernicia gigas
- Copernicia glabrescens
- Copernicia hospita
- Copernicia humicola
- Copernicia longiglossa
- Copernicia macroglossa
- Copernicia molineti
- Copernicia oxycalyx
- Carnauba palm ( Copernicia prunifera ), provides the carnauba wax
- Copernicia rigida
- Copernicia roigii
- Copernicia tectorum
- Copernicia Yarey
The genus name honors the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus.
Use
The carnauba palm is economically important as a supplier of carnauba wax. All species are more or less widely used: the leaves provide roofing, the stems are used as building material, the fibers are processed to brushes and ropes. The strength obtained from stems and fruit is edible. Seedlings are used as animal 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. 281f.