Coccothrinax readii in its natural habitat

[lagartos]

Recently I posted pictures of palms right behind the dunes along shore of the northern Yucatan in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve in north-central Yucatán, Mexico. I thought my pictures might show Coccothrinax readii, endemic just to the Yucatán, but thanks to help received at this forum I realized that they were just old but very salt- and wind-burned, and stunted, Thrinax radiata. However, I knew that Coccothrinax radii is present in the Biosphere so today I lunged into the scrub behind the dunes once again, and this time I found them, as the attached pictures show.

At this forum, Aztropic in Arizona pointed out that Thrinax petiole bases tend to split, but Coccothrinax petiole bases don't. He also posted a picture of potted Thrinax and Coccothrinax next to one another. This wonderful help can be reviewed at this forum at http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/44685-coccothrinax-readii/

Also of great help in finding today's Coccothrinax readii was a PalmPedia page on the species at http://www.palmpedia.net/wiki/Coccothrinax_readii

On that page the author writes, "This species grows on Sandy Dunes from the coast of Tulum in Quintana Roo to Sisal in Yucatan, where it is exposed to the sun and sea breezes, and it is here that C. readii presents its widest variations. It is generally smaller, but trunks are wider and grayish, the hastula is deeply bifid, the inflorescences are shorter and frequently the terminal primary branches are not well developed."

In an ocean of Thrinax radiata, the small island of Coccothrinax readii found today stood out from afar because of the fronds' silvery undersides. The island was surrounded by Poisonwood trees (Metopium brownei), Baybean vines (Canavalia rosea), and Seaside Oxeye shrubs (Borrichia arborescens). The spear-like items pointing at the sky in the photos are old fruiting heads of Caribbean Agave, Agave angustifolia. Some hastulas were not at all bifid, and some were just slightly notched.

In the pictures, the stately, dark palms rising over the scrub in the background are Pseudophoenix sargentii, featured in my post at this forum at http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/44695-pseudophoenix-sargentii-pictures-in-the-wild-from-the-yucatan/

Thanks to those at this forum who helped me figure out how to recognize Coccothrinax readii.

[Josh-O]

great pictures

[aztropic]

YES! You found em... Seeds too - glad we were able to help

Aztropic

Mesa, Arizona

[Darold Petty]

Welcome to Palmtalk, and thanks very much for these great photographs !

[Alberto]

Also of great help in finding today's Coccothrinax readii was a PalmPedia page on the species at http://www.palmpedia.net/wiki/Coccothrinax_readii

On that page the author writes, "This species grows on Sandy Dunes from the coast of Tulum in Quintana Roo to Sisal in Yucatan

One of the most spectacular places I visited, at my honeymoon in Mexico, 21 years ago: The beach of Tulum with the ancient mayan buildings and I remember a fan leaves palm growing there! Is that Coccothrinax readii?

https://www.google.com.br/search?q=tulum&biw=1034&bih=619&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=vKnOVLfXLOyTsQTcpID4Aw&sqi=2&ved=0CC4QsAQ#imgdii=_&imgrc=2Ia0lFnVXQFpxM%253A%3BbPTCavLp-_WmgM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fimages.nationalgeographic.com%252Fwpf%252Fmedia-live%252Fphotos%252F000%252F578%252Fcache%252Fmayan-ruins-tulum_57814_600x450.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Ftravel.nationalgeographic.com%252Ftravel%252Fcountries%252Fyour-maya-travel-photos%252F%3B600%3B399

[Jeff Searle]

Thanks for this great little story and especially the habitat pictures. And welcome to Palm talk.

[edric]

Thank you so much Jim, great to have you aboard, Ed

[Al in Kona]

Thanks Jim, habitat pics are great to see. I have a fruiting Pseudophoenix sargentii in the garden and nice to compare it to those in habitat. I recently acquired a small 2-strap leaf seedling of a palm tagged Brahea 'Tulum' - told it was dwarf and blue tone. Wish I knew more about it and could see pics in habitat of it.

[Moose]

Love habitat photos. Only Coccothrinax there, excellent source for seed,

[Josh-O]