Butia catarinensis and Butia sp Florianópolis. One or two spcies?

[Alberto]

I have several Butia catarinesis and one Butia sp Florianópolis. This last palm has some differentiating features from the characteristic B. catarinensis. Who first saw this differences was Nigel Kembrey when he explored the palms in the dunes of the capital of the state Santa Catarina, the island of Florianópolis. Probably the relatively isolation of this palm on the island began a speciation or at least a variation of this Butia sp. The fronds are more straight [strictior] and the spathes shows some tomentum, that is absent on B. catarinensis spathes. I also compared the fruits and seeds

First pic shows my bluest B. catarinensis and infructescence

Edited January 22, 2018 by Alberto

[Alberto]

Butia sp Florianópolis

[Alberto]

At left the fruits and seeds of B. catarinensis, both elongated, cannot ''stay upright''

Right - fruits and seeds of B. sp Florianópolis, fruits are more round and will not lay on there side without some support of the fruit besides it like in the pic. Seeds are also more round .

[Sanips]

They definitely look different from each other, but both are very nice compact butias  .

Thanks for sharing them with us.

[Jamesasb]

yes they look really different, very nice