Coccothrinax alta

Coccothrinax alta
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
(unranked):	Commelinids
Order:	Arecales
Family:	Arecaceae
Genus:	Coccothrinax
Species:	C. alta
Binomial name
Coccothrinax alta (O.F.Cook) Becc.

Coccothrinax alta (Palma plateada, Palma de abanico,^[1] Tyre palm)^[2] is a palm which is native to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Like other members of the genus, C. alta is a fan palm. Trees are 2–6 m tall, with some individuals getting up to 11 m. Flowers are light yellow, and fruit are purple-black when ripe. It is found on lower elevations, but to 350 m above sea level.^[1]

It is found on limestone substrates in northern Puerto Rico, and on volcanic substrates on the islands off eastern Puerto Rico. It has been recorded from Puerto Rico proper, Vieques and Culebra; Saint Croix, St. Thomas and St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands; and Guana Island, Tortola and Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands.^[1]

George Proctor (in Acevedo-Rodríguez & Strong, 2005^[1]) considers this to be a valid species on the basis of its shorter, more slender trunk, fewer stamens and much smaller fruit. Rafaël Govaerts^[3] follows Read (1979) and considers it a synonym of Coccothrinax barbadensis.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro; Mark T. Strong (2005). "Monocots and Gymnosperms of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands". Contributions of the United States National Herbarium 52: 1–405. 
2. ^ "Coccothrinax images". Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Guide to Palms. http://palmguide.org/images.php?family=ARECACEAE&genus=Coccothrinax. Retrieved 2007-11-13. 
3. ^ "Coccothrinax alta". Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/wcsp/nonacceptedRef.do?accepted_id=44375&repSynonym_id=203998&name_id=44375&status=true. Retrieved 2006-12-08.