A synopsis of the palms of Puerto RicoCook, O. F. (Orator Fuller)
Science
A synopsis of the palms of Puerto Rico
Cook, O. F. (Orator Fuller)
Palms -- Puerto Rico
In Puerto Rico the fresh fruits are also much longer than broad, perhaps
even more slender than the figures given for the Cuban; when dry they
still appear somewhat longer and larger than the latter.
The seeds of _Roystonea Borinquena_ differ in several particulars from
those of the Cuban species. In shape they are longer and less spherical,
measuring 8 by 6.3 by 5.5 mm. instead of 7.8 by 7 by 6 mm.; the side
bearing the hilum is much flattened and even slightly concave; the
fibers radiating from the hilum are longer, and the corner between the
hilum and the micropyle is evenly rounded, not sharply squared and
prominent as in _R. regia_. On the back of the seed the smooth inner
wall of the endocarp is closely adherent over a small area, while in
Cuban seeds this wall remains attached over nearly the whole side and is
furthermore distinctly rugose-coriaceous on the surface, and has a
distinct sulcus in the median line.
The royal palm is not only the more conspicuous and characteristic
natural object in most parts of Puerto Rico, but it probably exceeds the
cocoanut in total economic importance. The most useful part is the
_yagua_ or sheathing base of the leaf, with which a large proportion of
the houses of the poorer classes are thatched or sided, or both.
The royal palm is one of the wild species which has been distinctly
advantaged by human interference in natural conditions. It is a general
fact that outside the climbing species palms are not successful in
competing with tropical forest vegetation. Originally the royal palm and
the corozo were probably confined to the more rugged slopes of the lower
limestone hills where they both still retain a foothold in places where
the natural growth seems never to have been cleared away. But the vast
majority of royal palms now in existence in Puerto Rico stand on land
which has been cultivated at one time or another, and where the palms
were able to secure a foothold before the competition of other plants
became too strong.
The discovery of root tubercles on a young plant of this species has
been noted in the introductory statement. These tubercles though small
in size are very numerous upon the smaller roots. In shape they are
mostly oval and symmetrical. The larger are about 2 mm. in length though
our natural-size photograph shows several fusiform or clavate bodies
from 5 to 10 mm. long and as much as 2 mm. thick. The color of the roots
and tubercles is white.
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