01.06.2006 Maria João Pereira17.03.2009 Maria João Pereira08.03.2024 Iacopo Scapigliati27.10.2006 Male flower | Maria João Pereira27.10.2006 Male flower and mature fruit | Maria João Pereira27.10.2006 Mature fruit and seed | Maria João Pereira
Nome científico publicado pela 1ª vez em:
Hist. Pl. (Baillon) 13: 397 (1895) [3]
Região Geográfica de Origem
Central region of Chile [4]
Estado de Conservação
EN (endangered) [5]
Estatuto na região Açores
Exotic species under cultivation [6]
Sobre o(s) Exemplar(es)
This specimen belongs to the original composition of this garden.
Coordinates: 37°44’38” N; 25°39’55” W
Altitude: 33 m
Morphometry (2023):
Height: 17.41 m.
Diameter at breast height: 1.05 m.
Phenology:
Vegetative state: III
Male flowers and ripe fruits: X
[6]
Sobre o táxon
In 1776 the Chilean Jesuit Ignazio Molina published in ‘Compendio della storia geografica, naturale, e civile del regno del Chile’, under the name Palma chilensis the first description of this species along with an illustration. But this palm displays a set of characteristics so distinct that justified the creation of a new genus – Jubaea – with a sole species. Kunth created this genus name in 1815, but it was Baillon who in 1895 published the correct name combination: Jubaea chilensis, recovering the species epithet chilensis from Molina name according to the international rules of botanical nomenclature. [7]
In Chile this palm grows up to 5,249.34 ft in altitude and it’s one of the few species of palms that can withstand temperatures below freezing (14°F to 10° F). [6] The evolution of this single species genus endemic to central Chile forests (between the regions of O’Higgins and Coquimbo), stems from the continued isolation of these forests in relation to other tropical forests in the South American continent, where other palms grow.
Previously very common in Chile, this palm was systematically cut down to produce palm honey and palm wine. Uncontrolled fruit picking, threats from herbivores, soil use changes and forest fires are currently the biggest threats to the regeneration of the natural populations of this palm, [7] therefore in 2024 it is classified as ‘Endangered’ by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature).[5]
This species was introduced to the Azores in the mid-19th century. [6]
Descrição
In favourable conditions the adult Chilean wine palm can be one of the tallest (65.6 ft to 108.3 ft) and widest (1.3 ft to 6.6 ft diameter) palms. In the first 20 years, the apical bud mainly increases the diameter of the trunk and then grows in height. The vertical trunk, grey and almost smooth, is typically enlarged at the base and thinner in its upper portion. The narrowing at the top has been explained by the moment the palm flowers the first time. At that moment the same amount of nutrients is distributed not only for the development of the trunk and leaves, but also for the inflorescence development and fruit maturation. In this species flowering starts when the plants reach about 40 years of age. The trunk is densely crowned by pinnate, evergreen leaves (like feathers 6.6 ft to 9.8(16.4) ft long). This palm tree is monoecious, with male and female flowers on the same plant. The inflorescences with unisexual yellow or reddish flowers reach around 4.9 ft in length. The female flowers later produce the almost spherical (0.87 in), yellow to orange drupes (coquitos) with a single seed. Both the fleshy part and the seed are edible. [7]
[2] Fernandes F, Carvalho L (2003). Portugal Botânico de A a Z, Plantas Portuguesas e Exóticas. LIDEL. Edições Técnicas, Lda.
[3] IPNI (2023). International Plant Names Index. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries and Australian National Herbarium. http://www.ipni.org.
[4] POWO (2024). Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org.
[5] Chaparro CB (2021). Jubaea chilensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T38586A2880356. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/38586/2880356
[6] Scapigliati I, Cruz B, Bulhões M, Pereira MJ (2024). Jubaea chilensis. In: Ponta Delgada University Campus Garden. Ponta Delgada: Universidade dos Açores. https://jardim.uac.pt/en/plantae-tracheophyta-liliopsida-arecales-arecaceae-jubaea-jubaea-chilensis-2/
[7] Pereira MJ (2021). The world of plants and the animals in the garden/O mundo das plantas e os animais do Jardim. Jubaea chilensis (Molina) Baill. Pp: 93-95. In: Albergaria (Coord.) (2021). António Borges Garden / Jardim António Borges. A unique heritage of Ponta Delgada / Um património singular de Ponta Delgada. Edição bilingue. Câmara Municipal de Ponta Delgada & GreenGardens Eds., Ponta Delgada. Pp 227.
