Cryosophila
| Cryosophila | |
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| Cryosophila warscewiczii at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew | |
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| Root spines on the trunk of Cryosophila warscewiczii. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| (unranked): | Commelinids |
| Order: | Arecales |
| Family: | Arecaceae |
| Subfamily: | Coryphoideae |
| Tribe: | Cryosophileae |
| Genus: |
Cryosophila Blume |
| Species | |
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| Synonyms | |
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See text
Cryosophila is a genus of medium-sized fan palms which range from central Mexico to northern Colombia. Species in the genus can be readily distinguished from related genera by their distinctive downward-pointing spines on the stem, which are actually modified roots. They are known as the "Root Spine Palms".
Cryosophila is a genus of medium-sized, single-stemmed (or rarely multi-stemmed) palms with fan-shaped (or palmate) leaves and spiny stems. The stems range in height from 0.5 to 15 metres (1.6 to 49.2 ft), with diameters between 4 to 20 centimetres (1.6 to 7.9 in). Plants have between five and 35 leaves with elongated petioles. The leaves are often whitish-grey on the lower surface. The whitish flowers are bisexual with six stamens and three carpels. The fruit are white and smooth, with a single seed.
Cryosophila is distinguished from related genera by its long, branched spines which are derived from modified roots. These downward-pointing spines cover the trunk, often quite densely. The genus is one of the few palms which use modified roots as spines, and its spines are unlike any others in morphology or appearance. The density of spines varies from less than 25 over a 10 cm (3.9 in) length of stem in some species to others where the entire stem is covered by a dense mass of spines.
Cryosophila
In the first edition of Genera Palmarum (1987), Natalie Uhl and John Dransfield placed the genus Cryosophila in the subfamily Coryphoideae, the tribe Corypheae and the subtribe Thrinacinae Subsequent phylogenetic analysis showed that the Old World and New World members of the Thrinacinae were not closely related. As a consequence of this, Cryosophila and related genera were places in their own tribe, Cryosophileae. Within this tribe, Cryosophila appears to be most closely related to the genus Schippia.
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Wikipedia