Beccariophoenix
Beccariophoenix
Genus of palms
Beccariophoenix is a genus of three species of Arecaceae (palms), native to Madagascar. The genus is closely related to the Cocos, or coconut genus, and notably Beccariophoenix alfredii is similar in appearance to the coconut palm. It was named after Odoardo Beccari (1843-1920).
| Beccariophoenix | |
|---|---|
| A young Beccariophoenix palm. | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Arecales |
| Family: | Arecaceae |
| Subfamily: | Arecoideae |
| Tribe: | Cocoseae |
| Genus: | Beccariophoenix Jum. & H.Perrier |
| Type species | |
| Beccariophoenix madagascariensis | |
Palms in this group have solitary trunks. Crownshafts are not present in the genus; the leaves are pinnate, to 2–5 m long. The term "windowpane" palm comes from the leaflets on younger plants that are only partially divided from each other, where there appear to be 'windows' in the leaves between the leaflets. Older specimens do not display the windowpanes as the leaflets completely divide from each other.
They are somewhat cold hardy, down to about -3 °C, making them a good look-alike for the coconut in cooler climates.[citation needed]
| Image | Name | Common name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beccariophoenix alfredii Rakotoarin., Ranariv. & J.Dransf. | high plateau coconut palm | Madagascar | |
| Beccariophoenix madagascariensis Jum. & H.Perrier | coastal beccariophoenix | Madagascar. | |
| Beccariophoenix fenestralis J. Dransfield & M. Rakotoarinivo | "giant windowpane palm"[1] | Madagascar. | |
The 'windows' palm was originally classified as a variant of B. madagascariensis,[2][3] but was given its own name in June 2014.[1]
- Shapcott, A., Rakotoarinivo, M., Smith, R. J., Lysakova, G., Fay, M. F., & Dransfield, J. (2007). Can we bring Madagascar's critically endangered palms back from the brink? Genetics, ecology and conservation of the critically endangered palm Beccariophoenix madagascariensis. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 154 (4): 589-608 full text Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine.
- Rakotoarinivo, Mijoro; Ranarivelo, Tianjanahary; Dransfield, John (2007). "A new species of Beccariophoenix from the High Plateau of Madagascar" (PDF). Palms. 51 (2): 63–75. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-22.
