Vol. 69(1) Mar. 2025 |
FRONT COVER Adonidia zibabaoa, a newly described species from the Philippines. See article by J.T. Adorador et al., p. 5. Photo by J.T. Adorador.
BACK COVER Nypa fruticans has an inflorescence structure unlike any other in the palm family. See article by L.L. Arneaud, p. 21. Photo by L.L.Arneaud. | Adonidia zibabaoa, a Remarkable New Palm Species from Samar Island, Philippines J.T. ADORADOR, V. PEREZ-CALLE, Z.D. MENESES- ADPRADOR, S. BELLOT, W.J. BAKER & E.S. FERNANDO Adonidia zibabaoa Adorador & Fernando (Areceae; Ptychospermatinae) is described as new to science. Due to the problematic delimitation of genera within the subtribe, a phylogenomic analysis based on 151 nuclear genes was undertaken to determine the placement of the new species. This provides robust evidence that the new taxon is sister to the two currently accepted species of Adonidia, with which it shares many morphological characters. Field surveys show that this horticulturally appealing palm is restricted to the tops of karst formations in central Samar Island, Philippines and is assessed as Critically Endangered based on IUCN guidelines. The Distribution of Nipa Palms (Nypa fruticans) in Trinidad and Tobago L.L. ARNEAUD Athough Nypa fruticans occurs in Trinidad and Tobago, there is no evidence that the species is reproducing in the wild, i.e. naturalized. A New Species of Fossil Palm Described for Australia J.L. DOWE Palaeobotanists Prof. David Greenwood and Dr. John Conran have recently described a new species of fossil palm for Australia, Phoenicites insula-lacuna, from the Eocene or Miocene Island Lagoon fossil site in South Australia. The proposed affinity of the fossil is with the subtribe Archontophoenicinae, with a possible relationship to the extant genus Archontophoenix. A Population Assessment of Six Threatened Palm Species in Sante Luce, Southeast Madagascar: A Glimmer of Hope? S. HYDE ROBERTS, N. EVANS, L. KRAMERM L. JHAVERI, J. DUFFELL, Q.M. PARKER, G. BRADLEY & H.T. LONGOSOA Palms (Arecaceae) represent critically important natural resources for rural communities across Madagascar. In Sainte Luce, southeast Madagascar, the palm community includes six threatened species. A systematic transect-based methodology was used to assess population size, demographic structure and distribution within five core forest fragments (1,180 ha). A total of 153,616 palms were recorded over 194.6 km. Only 1.9% were classified as adults, with three species being represented by <100 mature palms. Distribution was highly uneven and species-specific. Whilst the large number of immature palms offers hope for the future, several species are at serious risk of short-term extirpation. |
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