Heterospathe Woodfordiana

''Heterospathe'' is a monoecious genus of flowering plant in the palm family found in Oceania, where it is called sagisi palm. With 39 species, ''Heterospathe'' is named from a Greek combination of "various" and "spathe", which describes the two distinct bract types.

Description

They exhibit considerable variation in morphology and habit; the slender trunks may be solitary or sparsely to densely clustering, some are miniatures and perpetual undergrowth subjects while others contribute to the canopy top. The trunks are ringed by leaf scars and end in a poorly defined or absent crownshaft. The leaves are usually pinnate, rarely bifid, from small to large, and frequently red colored when new.

The inflorescence is interfoliar but will hang pendent nearing antithesis. It may be branched from one to four orders with short white to yellow branches of spirally arranged, male and female flowers. Ellipsoidal to spherical, the fruit ripen to various shades of orange and red and contain a single seed.Riffle, Robert L. and Craft, Paul (2003) ''An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms''. Portland: Timber Press. /

Distribution and habitat

''Heterospathe'' species are relatively widespread across the Pacific's western edges with several in New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, eastern Indonesia and Micronesia.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
/ref> Across this range they inhabit montane and lowland rain forest, in some cases receiving total shade or filtered light while others mature into full sun with age; ''H. delicatula'' and ''H. humilis'' are found at high elevations in New Guinea's mountains. Being rain forest dwellers they are typically found in humus-rich soil.

Species

* ''Heterospathe annectens'' H.E.Moore - New Guinea
* ''Heterospathe arfakiana'' (Becc.) H.E.Moore - New Guinea
* ''Heterospathe barfodii'' L.M.Gardiner & W.J.Baker - Papua
* ''Heterospathe brevicaulis'' Fernando - Luzon
* ''Heterospathe cagayanensis'' Becc. - Luzon
* '' Heterospathe califrons'' Fernando - Philippines
* '' Heterospathe clemensiae'' (Burret) H.E.Moore - New Guinea
* '' Heterospathe compsoclada'' (Burret) Heatubun - New Guinea
* '' Heterospathe delicatula'' H.E.Moore - New Guinea
* '' Heterospathe dransfieldii'' Fernando - Palawan
* ''Heterospathe elata'' Scheff - Philippines, Maluku, New Guinea, Micronesia
* '' Heterospathe elegans'' (Becc.) Becc. - New Guinea
* '' Heterospathe elmeri'' Becc. - Philippines
* '' Heterospathe glabra'' (Burret) H.E.Moore - New Guinea
* ''Heterospathe glauca'' (Scheff.) H.E.Moore - Maluku
* '' Heterospathe intermedia'' (Becc.) Fernando - Philippines
* ''Heterospathe kajewskii'' Burret - Solomon Islands
* '' Heterospathe ledermanniana'' Becc. - New Guinea
* '' Heterospathe lepidota'' H.E.Moore - New Guinea
* '' Heterospathe longipes'' (H.E.Moore) Norup - Fiji
* '' Heterospathe macgregorii'' (Becc.) H.E.Moore - New Guinea
* '' Heterospathe minor'' Burret - Solomon Islands
* '' Heterospathe muelleriana'' (Becc.) Becc. - New Guinea
* '' Heterospathe negrosensis'' Becc. - Philippines
* '' Heterospathe obriensis'' (Becc.) H.E.Moore - New Guinea
* '' Heterospathe parviflora'' Essig - Bismarck Archipelago
* '' Heterospathe philippinensis'' (Becc.) Becc. - Philippines
* '' Heterospathe phillipsii'' D.Fuller & Dowe - Fiji
* '' Heterospathe pilosa'' (Burret) Burret - New Guinea
* '' Heterospathe porcata'' W.J.Baker & Heatubun - Western New Guinea
* '' Heterospathe pulchra'' H.E.Moore - Papua New Guinea
* '' Heterospathe pullenii'' M.S.Trudgen & W.J.Baker - Papua New Guinea
* '' Heterospathe ramulosa'' Burret - Solomon Islands
* ''Heterospathe salomonensis'' Becc. - Solomon Islands
* '' Heterospathe scitula'' Fernando - Luzon
* '' Heterospathe sensisi'' Becc. - Solomon Islands
* '' Heterospathe sibuyanensis'' Becc. - Sibuyan
* '' Heterospathe sphaerocarpa'' Burret - New Guinea
* '' Heterospathe trispatha'' Fernando - Luzon
* '' Heterospathe uniformis'' Dowe - Vanuatu
* '' Heterospathe woodfordiana'' Becc. - Solomon Islands

Cultivation and uses

The colorful new foliage has increased their popularity in Australia though they are still uncommon there and more so in the United States where only one species is cultivated with any regularity. In any case, they naturally prefer surroundings resembling those in their range, particularly acidic soil which is fast-draining, copious water and protection from cold. The petioles and leaflets are woven and thatched, the palm heart is reportedly eaten, and fruit from ''H. elata'' is chewed as a betel substitute.Uhl, Natalie W. and Dransfield, John (1987) ''Genera Palmarum - A classification of palms based on the work of Harold E. Moore''. Lawrence, Kansas: Allen Press. /

References

External links

''Heterospathe'' on NPGS/GRIN

Fairchild Images

Fairchild Guide to Palms

GBIF portal

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2709564

Areceae
Arecaceae genera