''Calyptrocalyx'' is a
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of plants in the palm family
Arecaceae
The Arecaceae () is a family (biology), family of perennial plant, perennial, flowering plants in the Monocotyledon, monocot order Arecales. Their growth form can be climbing palm, climbers, shrubs, tree-like and stemless plants, all commonly k ...
, native to
New Guinea
New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; , fossilized , also known as Papua or historically ) is the List of islands by area, world's second-largest island, with an area of . Located in Melanesia in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is ...
and the nearby
Maluku Islands
The Maluku Islands ( ; , ) or the Moluccas ( ; ) are an archipelago in the eastern part of Indonesia. Tectonics, Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone. Geographically they are located in West ...
. Ranging from small to large, the palms in this genus are increasingly found in cultivation owing largely to their purple, red, and orange colored, new foliage. At least 26 species have been described while others, known only by local names, have not yet received a taxonomic account. Palms formerly classified within ''Paralinospadix'' have been incorporated into this genus. It is named from two Greek words meaning 'covered' and 'calyx'.
Description
Most ''Calyptrocalyx'' species are clustering while a few grow from solitary trunks, all being conspicuously ringed by leaf scars. Trunk diameters range from 1 cm in ''C. arfakiensis'' to 25 cm in ''C. spicatus'', spanning heights of 1 to 12 m. The leaves may be pinnate, bifid, or undivided on adaxially channeled, abaxially rounded petioles. While the foliage of these palms matures to various shades of green it is often brightly colored when emergent.
The
inflorescence
In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...
is usually an unbranched, interfoliar spike with unisexual flowers of both sexes; both pistillate and staminate flowers have three sepals and three petals. The fruit produced by ''Calyptrocalyx'' species is usually orange or red in color when mature, each containing one seed.
Distribution and habitat
All of these palms are found in New Guinea except ''C. spicatus'' which grows in the Maluku Islands. They are all undergrowth inhabitants of rainforests from sea level up to 1000 m, often on mountain slopes and occasionally alongside streams and in swamps.
Cultivation
Commonly cultivated for their colorful new leaves, these palms are not hardy to cold and require protection from freezing temperatures. They prefer a quickly draining,
humus
In classical soil science, humus is the dark organic matter in soil that is formed by the decomposition of plant and animal matter. It is a kind of soil organic matter. It is rich in nutrients and retains moisture in the soil. Humus is the Lati ...
-rich soil and shade or filtered light when young, though some will adapt to full sun as they mature. They also require protection from cold, dry winds which easily damage or kill them.
Species
,
Plants of the World Online
Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
History
Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...
accepts the following 28 species:
Gallery
File:Calyptrocalyx_polyphyllus.JPG, '' Calyptrocalyx polyphyllus''
File:Calyptrocalyx_elegans.JPG, '' Calyptrocalyx elegans''
File:Calyptrocalyx hollrungii - Denver Botanic Gardens - DSC00893.JPG, ''Calyptrocalyx hollrungii
''Calyptrocalyx hollrungii'' is a palm species in the family Arecaceae, and is native to Papua New Guinea and to the Indonesian part of New Guinea, Western New Guinea.
Taxonomy
''Calyptrocalyx hollrungii'' was first described in 1889 by Odoardo ...
''
References
External links
GBIF Portal''Calyptrocalyx'' on NPGS/GRINFairchild Guide to Palms: ''Calyptrocalyx''''Calyptrocalyx'' Google image search
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2710194
Arecaceae genera