Branching in Syagrus cocoides (Arecaceae) in Maranhão, Northeastern Brazil

This paper reports the discovery of an unusual population of Syagrus cocoides Martius located in the municipality of Barra do Corda, state of Maranhão, northeastern Brazil. The most interesting characteristic of this population is the high number of individuals with branched stems. Sampling showed t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brittonia 1996-10, Vol.48 (4), p.556-565
Main Authors: Claudio Urbano B. Pinheiro, Balick, Michael J., José Mário F. Frazão
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Architectural models
Botanical gardens
Branching
Cerrado
Plants
Polyembryony
Seedlings
Stems
Suckering
Vegetation
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Summary:This paper reports the discovery of an unusual population of Syagrus cocoides Martius located in the municipality of Barra do Corda, state of Maranhão, northeastern Brazil. The most interesting characteristic of this population is the high number of individuals with branched stems. Sampling showed that 16.12% of the population consisted of bifurcate adult individuals and 14.17% were bifurcate seedlings. The branching phenomenon in palms is reviewed, and competing hypotheses are discussed to explain the branching is Syagrus cocoides and its ecological and evolutionary significance. We conclude that the most likely type of branching is by dichotomy.
ISSN:0007-196X
1938-436X
DOI:10.2307/2807876