Beccariophoenix
A young Beccariophoenix palm.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Arecales
Family: Arecaceae
Subfamily: Arecoideae
Tribe: Cocoseae
Genus: Beccariophoenix
Jum. & H.Perrier
Type species
Beccariophoenix madagascariensis

Beccariophoenix is a genus of three species of Arecaceae (palms), native to Madagascar. The genus is closely related to the Cocos, or coconut genus, and notably Beccariophoenix alfredii is similar in appearance to the coconut palm. It was named after Odoardo Beccari (1843-1920).

Description

Palms in this group have solitary trunks. Crownshafts are not present in the genus; the leaves are pinnate, to 2–5 m long. The term "windowpane" palm comes from the leaflets on younger plants that are only partially divided from each other, where there appear to be 'windows' in the leaves between the leaflets. Older specimens do not display the windowpanes as the leaflets completely divide from each other.

They are somewhat cold hardy, down to about -3 °C, making them a good look-alike for the coconut in cooler climates.[citation needed]

Species

Image Name Common name Distribution
Beccariophoenix alfredii Rakotoarin., Ranariv. & J.Dransf. high plateau coconut palm Madagascar
Beccariophoenix madagascariensis Jum. & H.Perrier coastal beccariophoenix Madagascar.
Beccariophoenix fenestralis J. Dransfield & M. Rakotoarinivo "giant windowpane palm"[1] Madagascar.


The 'windows' palm was originally classified as a variant of B. madagascariensis,[2][3] but was given its own name in June 2014.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b J. Dransfield, M. Rakotoarinivo. 2014. Beccariophoenix fenestralis. Palms, International Palms Society, 58(2), June 2014
  2. ^ Shapcott, A., Rakotoarinivo, M., Smith, R. J., Lysakova, G., Fay, M. F., & Dransfield, J. (2007). Can we bring Madagascar's critically endangered palms back from the brink? Genetics, ecology and conservation of the critically endangered palm Beccariophoenix madagascariensis. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 154 (4): 589-608 full text Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ^ Rakotoarinivo, Mijoro; Ranarivelo, Tianjanahary; Dransfield, John (2007). "A new species of Beccariophoenix from the High Plateau of Madagascar" (PDF). Palms. 51 (2): 63–75. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-22.


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