New Zealand Journal of Botany abstracts
Exploratory study of petiolar scales in Rhopalostylis (Arecaceae)
Joshua Salter*
Catia Delmiglio
School of Biological Sciences
The University of Auckland
Private Bag 92019
Auckland, New Zealand
*Present address: 23 Onewa Road, Northcote, Auckland, New Zealand.
plumpinejosh@yahoo.co.nz
Abstract At species level, the three taxa
currently recognised in the genus Rhopalostylis (Arecaceae)
are: R. baueri of Norfolk Island, R. cheesemanii from
the Kermadec Islands, and R. sapida (nikau) from New Zealand
and the Chatham Islands, but this classification has not been
universally accepted. Even within the New Zealand botanical region,
adults and seedlings of the Chatham Islands variant differ
morphologically from R. sapida in mainland New Zealand.
However, juveniles of all entities are less easily distinguished,
leading to concerns that this may become a problem for conservation in
New Zealand. The indumentum on petioles of juvenile and adult specimens
of Rhopalostylis from mainland New Zealand, Chatham Islands,
Kermadec Islands, and Norfolk Island, and one specimen of Hedyscepe
canterburyana from Lord Howe Island, was examined for characters
that could distinguish between them. Hedyscepe scales were
distinctive, but in Rhopalostylis taxa the scale morphology was
too variable to be useful for distinguishing between juveniles.
However, scale density and, to a lesser extent, scale-base maximum
height have been identified as potentially useful characters for
distinguishing the mainland Rhopalostylis plants from those of
the Chatham Islands and other islands. Assessment of scale density in
particular could be a practical, inexpensive, and reasonably reliable
method for identification of juvenile plants in restoration projects.
Keywords Arecaceae; Hedyscepe; indumentum;
nikau palm; petiolar scales; Rhopalostylis
B04036; Received 6 September 2004; accepted 23 May 2005; Online
publication date 21 July 2005
New Zealand Journal of Botany, 2005, Vol. 43: 631–646
0028–825X/05/4303–0631 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2005
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