Hyophorbe Amaricaulis

[Logolight]

It's too bad they haven't yet been able to successfully reproduce this palm.  It gives me a sinking feeling to look at it and know that there's no way to save it.   Does anyone know if they're still trying to reproduce it?

[Jeff Searle]

I haven't heard anything in the last 20 years or so.

Jeff

[neoflora]

I heard there is one Cuba! In the bot. garden. A rumor years ago.

[chris.oz]

There is some information here:

http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/38578/all

[ruskinPalms]

How many different Hyophorbes are there out there? I knew of only 3 until this post.

[Tyrone]

(ruskinPalms @ Feb. 17 2007,22:27)

QUOTE

How many different Hyophorbes are there out there? I knew of only 3 until this post.

Hyophorbe lagenicaulis, verschafeltii, indica, vaughnii, and amaricaulis.

regards

Tyrone

[Kamipalms]

(Tyrone @ Feb. 18 2007,19:37)

QUOTE

(ruskinPalms @ Feb. 17 2007,22:27)

QUOTE

How many different Hyophorbes are there out there? I knew of only 3 until this post.

Hyophorbe lagenicaulis, verschafeltii, indica, vaughnii, and amaricaulis.

regards

Tyrone

A note on H.vaughnii;

Most people offering H.vaughnii for sale are actually selling the red or coloured form of H.indica and not H.vaughanii.

The 2 are very similar with vein/ pinna number and flower colour being the only difference.

H.vaughanii is extremely rare in cultivation .....if at all.

[Carlo Morici]

The Hyophorbe in Cuba turned out to be not H.amaricaulis (see article by R.Kyburz. 1998. Principes 42:9-10).

I have no recent news about the only surviving specimen of H.amaricaulis in the Curepipe bot.gdns.. I am afraid it is not being reproduced because of lack of money and it will become extinct as soon as the last old plant dies. Please tell me I am wrong.

The cost of saving or describing one palm species is usually a handful of 1000's €$€$€

, just as much as buying a few tall washingtonias. Any philantropists on board?

Carlo

[cfkingfish]

If anyone wants to know more about the habitats and descriptions of each Hyophorbe species, the Sept. 1978 issues of Principes has a complete writeup on the detail of the five species. I found it very informative, it will show you the minute differences between H. indica and H. vaughanii. If you are a Maxburretia fan, there is a piece in there as well on that genus.

[SubTropicRay]

It will likely be lost to extinction.

[ruskinPalms]

Thanks for answers. If they can't save this one, why don't they at least try to cross it with the other species to make new hybrids. Save at least a little of its genetics as there may be cold hardiness, disease resistance etc. to be gleaned from crosses.

[ruskinPalms]

Couldn't they also recross its offspring and come up with, in the next genreation, hybrids very similar genetically to the original parent?

[Tad]

could it be cloned from tissue culture?

[Howeadypsis]

wow I just read the link about this palm cos I'd never heard about it. Its such a shame its dieoecious as cloning is the only way to save such a plant if there is only one left. Be cool if the one in Cuba could be used as a pollen donator/receiver,depending on sex.

[Logolight]

Supposedly they have been able to somewhat clone it but the plant never survived outside of the lab after a few attepts.  So I wonder if they just gave up trying.

[Tad]

? ? ? ? ? ? ?  there is quitea bit of cloning going on in the u.a.e. with various date palm types, maybe they have a better handle on tissue culture? could be phoenix clone better?

[Utopia Palms]

Hi All

There has been many years of work done on this palm from germination with pure oxygen to under water germination not to mention the many hundreds of thousands of US dollars spent on this species.

There is more than just one of this species left in habitat! at least 5 plus.

I was lucky enough to receive seeds of this sp many years a go but like all others could not germinate them.

There must be a mountain of paper work stored away some were with all the work that has been done on this palm the problem is finding it ?

Another person to ask about this would be De Hull as he has collected this species from habitat and maybe Paul Craft might remember a little more than I have listed here as well, I hope so!  

Clayton.

[chris.oz]

Suggest you check out:

http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/kewscientist/ks_30.pdf

There is an image of the infructescence of  H. americaulis at Curepipe and has been induced into culture for the first time by Viswambharan Sarasan of Kew’s Micropropagation Unit.

There is still hope viable seed will come of it !!

Maybe back from the brink........

[Tyrone]

I was thinking a bit about this one. If it won't set seed itself, why not cross it with H indica and then keep back crossing the strong progeny back to the amaricaulis. H indica is the fastest of the three common Hyophorbe's. In the meantime the crossed progeny at any stage that isn't used for the breeding program could be sold off to sponsor the continuance of the program. I'd imagine that H indica X amaricaulis would be a very desirable palm. The end result wouldn't be pure amaricaulis but it would be real close after a few generations. Even though H indica is the fastest it would actually be a lifetime project for someone. It's better than losing amaricaulis with nothing to show for it but pictures.

regards

Tyrone