''Ceroxylon quindiuense'', often called Quindío wax palm, is a

palm Palm most commonly refers to: * Palm of the hand, the central region of the front of the hand * Palm plants, of family Arecaceae **List of Arecaceae genera * Several other plants known as "palm" Palm or Palms may also refer to: Music * Palm (ba ...

native to the humid montane forests of the

Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the ...

and northern

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

Description

This palm species can grow to a height of —or rarely, even as high as . It is the tallest recorded

monocot Monocotyledons (), commonly referred to as monocots, (Lilianae '' sensu'' Chase & Reveal) are grass and grass-like flowering plants (angiosperms), the seeds of which typically contain only one embryonic leaf, or cotyledon. They constitute one ...

in the world. The trunk is cylindrical, smooth, light colored, covered with wax; leaf scars forming dark rings around the trunk. The

leaves A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, st ...

are dark green and grayish, long, with a petiole up to . Fruits are globose and orange-red when ripe, in diameter.

Taxonomy

''Ceroxylon quindiuense'' was described by

Gustav Karl Wilhelm Hermann Karsten Gustav Karl Wilhelm Hermann Karsten (6 November 1817, in Stralsund – 10 July 1908, in Zoppot) was a German botanist and geologist. Born in Stralsund, he followed the example of Alexander von Humboldt and traveled 1844-56 the northern part of S ...

and published in ''Bonplandia'' (Hannover) 8: 70. (1860).

Etymology Etymology () The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p. 633 "Etymology /ˌɛtɪˈmɒlədʒi/ the study of the class in words and the way their meanings have changed throughout time". is the study of the history of the form of words ...

: Ceroxylon: generic name composed of the

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

words: kèròs = "wax" and xγlon = "wood", in reference to the thick white wax found on the trunks. quindiuense: geographical epithet alluding to its location in Quindío. Synonymy: * ''Klopstockia quindiuensis'' H.Karst., 18596 * ''Ceroxylon floccosum'' Burret, 192978

Ecology

It grows in large and dense populations along the central and eastern Andes of Colombia (rarely in the western Colombian Andes), with a disjunct distribution in the Andes of northern Peru. The elevational range of this species is between above sea level. It achieves a minimum reproductive age at 80 years. Wax palms provide habitats for many unique life forms, including endangered species such as the

yellow-eared parrot The yellow-eared parrot (''Ognorhynchus icterotis'') is an endangered parrot of the tropics in South America. It is found in the Andes of Colombia. This species was thought to be extinct up until April 1999, when a group of researchers that we ...

('' Ognorhynchus icterotis'').

Vernacular names

Palma de cera, palma de ramo (both names in Colombia).

Conservation

Populations of ''Ceroxylon quindiuense'' are threatened by habitat disturbance, overharvesting and diseases. The fruit was used as feed for cattle and pigs. The leaves were extensively used in the Catholic celebrations of

Palm Sunday Palm Sunday is a Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in each of the four canonical Gospels. Palm Sunday marks the first day of Hol ...

; such leaves coming from young individuals which were damaged to death. That activity has been reduced severely in recent years due to law enforcement and widespread campaign. Felling of ''Ceroxylon quindiuense'' palms to obtain wax from the trunk also is an activity still going on in Colombia and Peru. The palm is recognized as the national tree of

, and since the implementation of Law 61 of 1985, it is legally a protected species in that country.

Cultivation and uses

The wax of the trunk was used to make

candle A candle is an ignitable wick embedded in wax, or another flammable solid substance such as tallow, that provides light, and in some cases, a fragrance. A candle can also provide heat or a method of keeping time. A person who makes candle ...

s, especially in the 19th century. The outer part of the stem of the palm has been used locally for building houses, and was used to build water supply systems for impoverished farmers. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in Colombia and

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

Gallery

File:Ceroxylon quindiuense - San Francisco Botanical Garden - DSC09840.JPG File:La Carbonera 06.JPG File:Palma de cerca del Quindío (Ceroxylon quindiuense) - Flickr - Alejandro Bayer (2).jpg File:La Carbonera 11.JPG File:Ceroxylon quindiuense, the world's tallest monocotyledon. (11211135095).jpg File:Hoja palma de cera.jpg

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q907665 quindiuense Trees of Colombia Flora of the Andes Ornamental trees Nature conservation in Colombia Colombian culture National symbols of Colombia Vulnerable plants Endangered plants Trees of Peru