Ceroxylon quindiuense (H.Karst.) H.Wendl.

General Description

Stem (13-)20-45(-60) m tall, 25-40 cm diam., white, with prominent leaf scars, covered with a very thick layer of wax. Leaves 14-20, in a dense, hemispheric crown; sheath 70-120(-176) cm, covered with thick, light brown indumentum; petiole (29-)44-80 cm long, 8.5-10.0 cm wide at the apex, abaxially covered with white indumentum of deciduous scales with persistent, thick, waxy bases; rachis 185-350(-540) cm long, adaxially flattened in ½-? of its lenght, 2 mm hastula-like projection, glabrescent, abaxial surface covered with thick indumentum of white to cream, fibrous scales; pinnae 70-128 on each side, regularly arranged in one plane, completely pendulous, adaxial surface glossy, olive-green but appearing grayish from a distance, the midrib covered with persistent scale base scars, abaxial surface and midrib densely covered with persistent, linear, white to cream, padded scales, never revealing the surface beneath in age; the most basal filiform pinnae 34-56 × 0.3-0.4 mm, basal pinnae (10th from base) 49-130 × 1.1-2.0 cm, middle pinnae 70-154 × (3.2-)4.4-6.0 cm, apical pinnae 41-62 × 0.7-2.5 cm, free. Staminate inflorescences 1-2 at one time; peduncular bracts 6-7, with an additional smaller bract inserted at base of peduncle; rachis 102 cm long, with about 91 branches, each subtended by a small, membranaceous, acuminate bract, rachis and branches glabrescent, longest branches 42 cm long. Pistillate inflorescences 2-5 at one time; peduncle 150-280 cm long, 4 cm wide at apex, covered with scattered, brown, eroded, appressed scales; prophyll 35-70 cm long, 17 cm wide; peduncular bracts 5-7, prophyll and peduncle bracts covered with persistent, brown to ferrugineous scales; rachis 90-163 cm long, with 63-76 branches, each subtended by a 0.2-2.0 cm long, membranous bract, longest branches 68-80 cm long; rachis and rachillae glabrous. Staminate flowers: sepals 3(-4), broadly triangular, 1.0-1.2 mm long, connate for 0.4 mm (1/3-½ of total length), reaching or exceeding total length of corolla tube; petals 3(-5), elliptical, long-acuminate, 4-7 mm long, including an acumen of 1.0-1.5(-3.5) mm long, connate for 1 mm; stamens 9-12(-17), 3-6 antisepalous stamens, and 3-9(-11) antipetalous stamens, filaments 1.0-3.5(-4.5) mm long, inserted at basal central portion of anther, anthers 2.2 mm long, anther connective not projected. Pistillate flowers: sepals 3, broadly-triangular-acuminate, 1.5 mm long, connate for 1 mm (2/3 of total length), not reaching corolla tube, petals 3, elliptical-acuminate, 4.0-7.5 mm long, connate for up to 1 mm, acumen narrow, 2-3 mm long; staminodes 12, 1-2 antisepalous, 2-3 antipetalous, filaments 3 mm long, abortive anthers 1.2 mm long, pistil trifid, 2-3 mm diam. Fruits globose, orange-red when ripe, 1.6-2.0 cm diam., exocarp very minutely warted; fruting perianth with sepals 1-2 mm long, connate in 0.2-0.5 mm, lobes reaching or exceeding corolla tube. Seeds ca.1 cm diam.

Vernacular

Palma de cera, palma de ramo (Colombia).

Habitat

It grows in humid montane forest, usually at 2000-3000 m, rarely up to 3150 m. It usually forms large and dense populations, many of which remain on pastures and forest remnants, especially on very steep slopes.

Distribution

Disjunct, with populations in the Andes of Colombia, along the central and eastern Cordillera (near the border with Venezuela), scarcely on the western Cordillera, and elsewhere forming populations in the Andes of northern Peru.

Conservation

Ceroxylon quindiuense is known to have been a very abundant species in Colombia until the beginning of the last century, and even if some large populations persist in the Central Cordillera, it has been classified as Endangered (EN; Galeano & Bernal 2005). Most of the forests where this species grows have been turned into pastures, and while hundreds of adult palms are still left standing, the young seedlings do not grow. Besides that, the cutting of young leaves for Palm Sunday during many years, caused the death of many individuals, and a delay in normal growth of the palms. Additionally, in the last decade a new and unknown disease has been causing the death of many adult palms (Cardozo & Guzmán 1993). In Peru, although a formal evaluation has not been made, it is believed that the situation does not differ substantially from the Colombian one (Galeano et al. 2008).

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Nativa en Colombia; Alt. 1550 - 3100 m.; Andes.

Morphology General Habit

Árbol, palma solitaria

Conservation

En Peligro

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/38467/10120959

Conservation

VU - vulnerable

The Useful Plants of Boyacá project

Distribution

Native from Colombia.

Conservation

Endangered.

Ecology

Alt. 1550 - 3100 m.

Morphology General Habit

Tree.

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Andean. Elevation range: 1550–3100 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Bogotá DC, Boyacá, Caldas, Caquetá, Cundinamarca, Meta, Norte de Santander, Putumayo, Quindío, Risaralda, Santander, Tolima, Valle del Cauca.

Conservation

IUCN Red List Assessment (2021): VU B1+2c. National Red List of Colombia (2021): EN A2ace.

Habit

Tree, Solitary palm.

Ecology

Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, shrubland, native grassland, artificial - terrestrial.

Vernacular

Chonta, Palma de cera, Palma de ramo

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

Use Animal Food

Eaten by animals (Carvajal et al. 2014).

Use Environmental Ornamentals

Live plant (in situ) - Grown in parks and avenues (Carvajal et al. 2014).

Use Fuel

Fuels (State of the World's Plants 2016).

Use Materials Waxes

Bark - The wax from its bark is used to make candles (Carvajal et al. 2014).

Use Materials

Used to make hats (Linares 1994).

Use Materials Unspecified Materials Chemicals

Materials (State of the World's Plants 2016).

Use Materials Wood

Stems - The stem is used to make poles for construction (Carvajal et al. 2014).

Use Social

Social uses (State of the World's Plants 2016).

Use Animal Food

Used as animal food.

Use Environmental

Environmental uses.

Use Fuel

Used for fuels.

Use Food

Used for food.

Use Materials

Used as material.

Use Medicines

Medical uses.

Use Social

Social uses.