| Abstract Detail
Developmental and Structural Section Bernal, Mauricio [1], Navas, Alfredo [2], Madriñan, Santiago [1]. Developmental morphology and growth patterns of the wax palm Ceroxylon quindiuense. The wax palm (Ceroxylon quidiuense) attaining reported heights of up to 58 m, is the tallest and one of the less studied palms of the world. Little is known about its developmental morphology, age estimates for the different life stages, nor the ages of the tallest specimens. A total 55 standing individuals of different ages, of both wild and cultivated palms, were measured in order to assess morphological changes during the development of the palm. The growth pattern is described through detailed measurements of changes in stem diameter and internodal distances along the total palm height. Crown form, leaf insertion angle, leaf morphology and total number of leaves are also described. From these data, estimates the maximum attainable height are proposed. The developmental history of a hypothetical wax palm was inferred through the observation of different individuals at different life stages. In addition, total growth rates and leaf production rates were calculated by comparing photographs of juveniles taken more than seven years ago with the same specimens today. Combining all the data, three possible temporal growth models are proposed, as well as the age of any given palm. A 40.97 m palm (the tallest measured in the wild) may be 378 years old according to our least conservative model, almost doubling previous estimates.
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Laboratario de Botanica y Sistematica
1 - Universidad de los Andes, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Laboratorio de Botanica y Sistematica, Apartado Aereo 4976, Bogota, DC, 00001, Colombia
2 - Universidad Catolica, Ecuela de Tecnologias, Tecnologia en Agroindustria, Carrera 7 km 21 via La Caro, Chia, Cundinamarca, 00001, Colombia
Keywords:
Arecaceae
Ceroxylon quindiuense
palms
developmental morphology
age estimates
growth
morphology.
Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Sections
Session: P
Location: Exhibit Hall (Northeast, Southwest & Southeast)/Hilton
Date: Sunday, July 8th, 2007
Time: 8:00 AM
Number: P48003
Abstract ID:2333 |
