Syagrus Mart. Original reference: Hist. nat. palm. 2: 129 (1826) Morphology: Medium sized to large, monoecious palms. Stem solitary, tall, erect, smooth. Leaves pinnate, regularly divided; pinnae inserted in groups and spreading in different planes, with prominent cross-veins; margins sometimes finely serrate; apical leaf segment entire. Flowers unisexual, borne in groups of one female and two males, or distally on the inflorescence branches in pairs of male flowers. Male flowers with 3 free sepals, 3 free petals, 6 stamens, and a small pistillode. Female flowers with 3 free, broadly overlapping sepals, 3 similar petals, a low staminodial ring, and 3 united carpels. Infructescence interfoliar, pendulous, overhung by one large, woody, peduncular bract; fruits medium sized to large, elongate, closely positioned and forming a narrow cylindrical mass from which naked branch ends are sticking out; endocarp bony, with three basal germination pores. Seedling leaves entire. Distribution and diversity: Thirty-two species have been described. They are distributed in lowland areas throughout the Neotropics, often in tropical dry forest. Two species occur in Ecuador. Synonym list (8)

Habit of Syagrus sancona Photo: H Balslev Palms of Ecuador Home Syagrus sancona Syagrus smithii