Hyophorbe indica

Hyophorbe indica

Hyophorbe indica is a species of the genus Hyophorbe in the palm family ( Arecaceae ).

Description

Hyophorbe indica is a feather palm that grows faster than the related Hyophorbe four types of bottle palm (H. lagenicaulis ), spindle palm (H. verschaffeltii ) Hyophorbe vaughanii and Hyophorbe amaricaulis. The palm reaches a height of about 10 meters and has a relatively thin, gray trunk, which reaches a thickness of about 13 cm. He may have a weak swelling at the base. The when mature 50-60 cm long, light green below and swollen crown shaft goes into a crown which 5-6 fronds forms, each with 90-100 V- shaped arranged pinnate leaves. The crown has all Hyophorbe species has the largest diameter. In contrast to the bottle palm and spindle palm, which have virtually no petiole ( petiole ), the stems of Hyophorbe indica with 15-30 cm are relatively long.

Interestingly, this palm in contrast to the related species two different forms, which occur at different locations. To distinguish between these two forms, however, some questions remain unanswered to this day. Thus, since the discovery in the 16th century known that a green and a dark colored form exists. The dark coloration is found in various parts of plants, but in particular it is not yet woody stem of young plants and on petioles and midribs. The dyeing is described depending on the author with black, red, purple or orange, but in the literature, the term " red form " enforced. Nevertheless describes Harold E. Moore, Jr., for his work on the palm family and famous student of the famed Palm botanist Liberty Hyde Bailey, in his monograph no two forms. He describes the crown shaft as silky, outside green, stem side in bright purple to purple passing over the upper part and sometimes slightly yellowish. The midrib of the leaves he describes as a yellow- green with a pronounced lateral side rib on both sides, which are colored yellow on the bottom. In general it can be said that the color of the red form weakens with age and the appearance of both forms assimilates more and more. The respective seeds also show differences in coloring. Thus, the seeds of the red form appear darker. The green form is more rare and cold- sensitive than the red form and is little cultivated in contrast to the red form.

Reproduction

White to off-white inflorescences ( inflorescences ), which can be up to 80 cm long, grow just below the crown shaft steeply from a plant. At one inflorescence occur yellow -colored, pleasantly scented flowers on female and male, to white. There is consequently a monoecious ( monoecious ) palm. The fruits are initially green and ripens yellow to orange. The fruits of Hyophorbe indica should be like the fruits of the related spindle palm, bitter tasting and inedible to poisonous. So far, no information could be found on the detailed nature of the poison.

The growth of the fresh seeds, which are narrow and elongated, is relatively simple; the germination period is 60-100 days. Germination should take place in gelatin, agar or similar media.

Dissemination

Hyophorbe indica comes as endemic species present on the island of Réunion, which is part of the island chain of the Mascarene Islands in the Indian Ocean. The green form is found there predominantly on the east coast of the island, while the red form mainly in the pad region ( Süd-West/Zentral ) is found. The palm grows at altitudes 175-600 m.

Systematics and name

It was named to 1791 by the German botanist Joseph gardener as occurring on an island in the Indian Ocean. The fruits of some species Hyophorbe to have been eaten by pigs, to which the genus name refers (Greek: hys = pig and phorbe = food). In the Anglo-Saxon synonym for the Latin names are the names "Poison Palm " or " Champagne Palm " usual. From this, the German name "poison palm " and derive " champagne palm". The term " champagne palm" but from a few sources as a synonym for the congeneric bottle palm ( Hyophorpe lagenicaulis ) is used, which is why this name can lead to confusion and should be avoided. The origin of this name is not known. The name comes from the poison palm bitter-tasting fruits ago.

Synonym for something misleading name green and red form of the name is often chosen Oriental (Eastern ) and Southern (Southern ) form.

A synonym is Areca lutescens Bory.