Title

Palms of Samar Island, Philippines.

Authors

ADORADOR, JIRO T.; FERNANDO, EDWINO S.

Abstract

Surveys of palms (Arecaceae) on Samar Island in the Philippines were conducted in view of the island's diverse but extremely threatened forest ecosystems, its old conglomerate geology, its significant biogeography and its poor palm collection history. Inventories of palms were carried out in selected sites between 2013 and 2016. The inventories yielded 50 species of which about 70% are Philippine endemics. Twelve are new island records, and there are 11 probable novel taxa (five in Calamus, and one each for Areca, Oncosperma, Heterospathe, Orania, Pinanga and the Ptychospermatinae) while one is a recollection. Overall, the palm flora of Samar reflects its biogeographic affinity and diverse habitat types. Notes on the observed morphological variations of most species will be utilized in the future taxonomic re-evaluation of some Philippine palm species and their complexes. The wealth of information generated in this study will ultimately be used for the conservation of palms and their habitats on the island.

Subjects

SAMAR Island (Philippines); PALMS; MONOCOTYLEDONS; HABITATS; PLANT species

Publication

Palms, 2017, Vol 61, Issue 4, p161

ISSN

1523-4495

Publication type

Academic Journal