Life Forms of Amazonian Palms

Abstract

Four of the growth models defined by Hallé et al. (1978) are developed by palms. These include: Holttum’s model, i.e., a hapaxanthic (inflorescence from the apical meristem), unbranched axis; Corner’s model, i.e., a pleonanthic (inflorescences from lateral buds), unbranched axis; Tomlinson’s model, i.e., hapaxanthic or pleonanthic palms with basal branching; Schoute’s model, i.e., pleonanthic axes branched by equal dichotomy. Some species combine elements of two architectural models (Tomlinson 1990). This is the case of the Amazonian Dictyocaryum ptariense and Socratea salazarii, which are single-trunked palms (Corner’s model) in spite of producing stolons from their base (Tomlinson’s model). The other Amazonian species develop either Corner’s or Tomlinson’s model, and all of them are pleonanthic, except for Raphia taedigera which is a hapaxanthic species; this latter form is frequent in other continents (Dransfield 1978). From these two strategies of growth, Amazonian palms have developed many different life forms.