Copernicia

Copernicia is a genus of palms native to South America and the Greater Antilles. Of the known species and nothospecies (hybrids), 22 of the 27 are endemic to Cuba.[1] They are fan palms (Arecaceae tribe Corypheae), with the leaves with a bare petiole terminating in a rounded fan of numerous leaflets. The species are small to medium-sized trees growing to 5–30 m tall, typically occurring close to streams and rivers in savanna habitats.[2]

Copernicia
Copernica ceifera
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Arecales
Family: Arecaceae
Subfamily: Coryphoideae
Tribe: Trachycarpeae
Genus: Copernicia
Mart.
Synonyms[1]
  • Arrudaria Macedo
  • Coryphomia Rojas Acosta

Species and hybrids

Copernicia species and hybrids are as follows.[3]

ImageScientific nameDistribution
Copernicia alba MorongBolivia, Argentina, Paraguay, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso Sul
Copernicia baileyana LeónCuba
Copernicia berteroana Becc.Hispaniola
Copernicia brittonorum LeónCuba
Copernicia cowellii Britton & P.WilsonCamagüey Province in Cuba
[Copernicia curbeloi LeónCuba
Copernicia curtissii Becc.Cuba
Copernicia ekmanii BurretHaiti
Copernicia fallaensis LeónCuba
Copernicia gigas Ekman ex BurretCuba
Copernicia glabrescens H.Wendl. ex BeccCuba
Copernicia hospita Mart.Cuba
Copernicia humicola LeónCuba
Copernicia longiglossa LeónCuba
Copernicia macroglossa SchaedtlerCuba
Copernicia molineti LeónCuba
Copernicia prunifera (Mill.) H.E.Moorenortheastern Brazil
Copernicia rigida Britton & P.WilsonCuba
Copernicia roigii LeónCuba
Copernicia tectorum (Kunth) Mart.Colombia, Venezuela
Copernicia yarey BurretCuba

Natural hybrids

ImageScientific nameParentageDistribution
Copernicia × burretiana LeónC. hospita × C. macroglossaCuba
Copernicia × occidentalis LeónC. brittonanum × C. hospitaCuba
Copernicia × textilis LeónC. baileyana × C. hospitaCuba
Copernicia × vespertilionum LeónC. gigas × C. rigidaCuba
Copernicia × shaferi Dahlgren & GlassmanC. cowellii × C. hospitaCuba
Copernicia × sueroana LeónC. hospita × C. rigidaCuba

The genus is named after the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus.

In some of the species, the leaves are coated with a thin layer of wax, known as carnauba wax.

References

  1. Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  2. Govaerts, R. & Dransfield, J. (2005). World Checklist of Palms: 1-223. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  3. "Copernicia". Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Archived from the original on 2007-08-27. Retrieved 2014-08-11.
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