Aiphanes grandis

Aiphanes grandis
Borchs. & Balslev


Original
reference:

Nord. J. Bot. 9: 388 (1989)

Type:
Steyermark 54185 – Ecuador

Morphology:
Subcanopy to canopy palm. Stem solitary, to 20 m tall, 10-20 cm in diameter. Leaf blade 200-250 cm long; pinnae ca. 40 on each side, lanceolate, briefly jagged at apex, inserted in groups and pointing in all directions, the central ones 60-80 cm long and 5-8 cm wide. Inflorescence 1-1.5 m long, with up to 200 spreading branches. Flowers white to pale yellow. Fruits 2-3 cm in diameter, dull green and covered with brown, loosely attached bristles.



Distribution:
Wet premontane forest on the west-Andean slopes in Ecuador. Endemic.



Conservation
status:
Endangered


IUCN criteria:
A1c, B1

(
Borchsenius & Skov 1999)


Specimen
list