Beaucarnea sanctomariana
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| L.Hern. |
Beaucarnea sanctomariana is a species of the genus Beaucarnea in the asparagus family (Asparagaceae). An English common name is "Pony Tail Palm, Santa Maria Chimalapa Beaucarnea".
description
Beaucarnea sanctomariana grows shrubby to tree-like with heights of 4 to 7 m. It forms a thickened caudex , which merges into a slender trunk. The irregularly arranged branches with the variable, falling, linear green, smooth leaf surfaces of the leaves are 75 to 85 cm long and 12 to 16 mm wide.
The paniculate egg-shaped to elliptical inflorescence is 80 to 100 cm high with 10 to 20 cm wide, irregularly arranged branches. The flowers are cream to yellow.
The elliptical to spherical capsule fruits contain a seed and are 6 to 8 mm long and 5 to 7 mm wide. The triangular red-brown seeds are 2 mm in diameter.
Systematics and distribution
Beaucarnea sanctomariana is endemic to Mexico in the state of Oaxaca in xerophyte regions in tropical deciduous forests at an altitude of 200 to 250 m.
The first description was in 2001 by Luis Hernández Sandoval .
Beaucarnea sanctomariana is a member of the Beaucarnea section . It grows endemically in dry, tropical forests. The irregularly branched, slender trees with the caudex thickened at the base are characteristic. The variable, green, falling leaves with smooth leaf surfaces are typical. It is similar to the closely related Beaucarnea recurvata and Beaucarnea hiriartiae , but with slight deviations (caudex, leaves, inflorescence and fruit).
Beaucarnea sanctomariana is hardly known.
proof
- Luis Hernández-Sandoval: Beaucarnea sanctomariana (Nolinaceae), a New Micro-Endemic Species of Ponytail Palm from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, Mexico . In: Novon . Volume 11, Number 1, 2001, pp. 50-54 (JSTOR) .