''Brassiophoenix'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

monoecious Monoecy (; adj. monoecious ) is a sexual system in seed plants where separate male and female cones or flowers are present on the same plant. It is a monomorphic sexual system comparable with gynomonoecy, andromonoecy and trimonoecy, and contras ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the

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 **Palm oil * Several other plants known as "palm" Palm or Palms may also refer to: Music ...

family found in

Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea, officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is an island country in Oceania that comprises the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and offshore islands in Melanesia, a region of the southwestern Pacific Ocean n ...

. Of the two similar species, one is more common in cultivation and was mistakenly identified as '' Brassiophoenix schumannii''. In 1999, Zona and Estig showed that the commonly cultivated species was instead the type species '' Brassiophoenix drymophoeoides''. The two species are distinguished by their separated geographical locations and minor differences in fruit form.Riffle, Robert L. and Craft, Paul (2003) ''An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms''. Portland: Timber Press. / The genus name is a combination of the surname Brass, honoring the first collector L.J. Brass, and '' Phoenix'', another palm genus.

Description

Both species grow to around in height on trunks culminating in tall, slightly bulging crownshafts and sparse leaf crowns. The stiff, unarching

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

are

pinnate Pinnation (also called pennation) is the arrangement of feather-like or multi-divided features arising from both sides of a common axis. Pinnation occurs in biological morphology, in crystals, such as some forms of ice or metal crystals, and ...

to in length, petioles short or absent, the pinnae being regularly spaced and diamond-shaped, long and dark green in color. The leaflets are thrice lobed, the center lobe being deepest, forming unusual jagged apices. The

inflorescences In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a main axis ( pe ...

emerge from beneath the crownshaft, twice branched, with furry ropes of male and female

flowers Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

. ''Brassiophoenix''

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propaga ...

matures to yellow, orange, or red in color, each with one

seed In botany, a seed is a plant structure containing an embryo and stored nutrients in a protective coat called a ''testa''. More generally, the term "seed" means anything that can be Sowing, sown, which may include seed and husk or tuber. Seeds ...

.Uhl, Natalie W. and Dransfield, John (1987) ''Genera Palmarum - A classification of palms based on the work of Harold E. Moore''. Lawrence, Kansas: Allen Press. /

Distribution and habitat

These palms grow in the mixed lowland

rain forest Rainforests are forests characterized by a closed and continuous tree Canopy (biology), canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforests can be generally classified as tropi ...

of Papua New Guinea.

Cultivation

While ''Brassiophoenix'' palms are not widespread, they have been in cultivation for many years. As with many rain forest palms, they are not tolerant of full sun in youth but will withstand it in maturity. They also require generous amounts of water and a fast-draining, rich soil. Given their

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...

origins they also require protection from cold when cultivated.

References

External links

''Brassiophoenix'' - GBIF Portal

''Brassiophoenix'' on NPGS/GRIN

Fairchild Guide to Palms: ''Brassiophoenix''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2709967 Arecaceae genera Endemic flora of Papua New Guinea Trees of Papua New Guinea Ptychospermatinae Taxa named by Max Burret