2025 Articles:
The taxonomy of Charles Wright’s palm (Arecaceae) collections in Cuba in the mid-19th century is discussed and updated. Wright collected 14 genera of palms in Cuba, only Pseudophoenix eluded him. From his palm collections, six new genera were described, five of them as correct names: Acoelorraphe (1879), Colpothrinax (1879), Calyptronoma (1864), Gaussia (1865), and Hemithrinax (1883). He also collected the first specimens of the genus Leucothrinax in Cuba. Of the 621 specimens of Cuban palms that C. Wright collected, I identified 11 holotypes, 4 isotypes, 14 lectotypes, 21 isolectotypes, 1 neotypes 2 isoneotypes, 37 syntypes, and 531 without type status. A total of 84 syntypes from 14 other collectors were also identified. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21414/B1H59F
The lethal disease Ganoderma butt rot of palms is reported for the first time from California and its history, biology, symptoms, signs, and management strategies are discussed and amply illustrated. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21414/B1MW2Z
This editorial explores why the general public's perception of science and scientists has declined and what remedies can be implemented to bolster and enhance science and scientists in this increasingly hostile environment. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21414/B1KG61
The nomenclature, classification, and distribution of the genus Copernicia (Arecaceae) in Cuba, published by León (1931 and 1936), are revised and updated. León's first collection of Copernicia was in 1911 and the last in 1945. More than 90% of his collections were between 1930 and 1936. I reviewed 808 specimens of León’s Copernicia collections, most of which he personally collected; the remainder his collaborators collected but León attached his own collection number to them. I designated 25 second-step lectotypes and their respective isolectotypes of species León described: 17 correspond to correct names; six are considered synonyms; and two varieties need further herbarium studies. Also, I designated two lectotypes of species that N. L. Britton and P. Wilson described and confirmed six lectotypes: one a species O. Beccari described and five I had previously designated. All corresponding syntypes are also listed. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21414/B1FS3R
We planted mostly multiple plants of six species of mostly evergreen Mexican oaks, Quercus affinis, Q. crassifolia, Q. polymorpha, Q. resinosa, Q. rysophylla, and Q. sartorii, out of 3.8-l (1-gallon) containers at The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden in Arcadia in 2005. We measured and evaluated their growth over 17 years. Nearly all trees have performed admirably, demonstrating their adaptability and suitability to an occasionally summer-irrigated landscape and/or urban forest, and would make superb ornamentals in coastal southern and likely central California. These trees will be much prized for their strong, robust growth of good to excellent conformation with few or no structural defects, handsome leaves, and mostly evergreen habit. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21414/B1B014
This study documents the historic introduction and recent presence of the date palm, Phoenix dactylifera, and other Phoenix spp. on the remote, isolated islands of St Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic Ocean. In the course of research, information about the other exotic palms of the islands was found and is included here because it, too, is also poorly known. No palms are indigenous to any of these islands. In addition to published documents, paper ephemera, such as photographs, postal cards, and postage stamps, were important source materials. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21414/B16889
Despite being felled with its stump removed because it was deemed hazardous and unsafe, a Panama redwood tree (Platymiscium pinnatum) has defied expectations by producing over 100 new shoots from its roots over three cutting episodes. It is unlikely that most tropical woody tree species can survive after being levelled to the ground, let alone produce three generations of healthy sprouts. This event showcases the remarkable resilience inherent in the plant kingdom and warrants further investigation. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21414/B12G6C
Severe late-season, height-reduction pruning of Lantana strigocamara ‘Balandrise’ (LuckyTM Sunrise Rose) to 15 to 20 cm tall to assess whether plants could be maintained low and compact without loss of flowering performance had significant but mixed results. Six months after pruning and at peak flower for pruned plants, the latter had significantly better overall quality; greater overall height increase; more and longer shoots; longer internodes; more leaves per shoot; more leaves until inflorescences formed; and more inflorescences than unpruned plants. Overall height, length, and width were not significantly different between pruned and unpruned plants. The results suggest that late-season pruning can lead to earlier and better floral display and enhanced overall quality the following growing season but, like early-season pruning, did not achieve the goal of low, compact, dense growth with enhanced floral display. This pruning did lead to earlier flowering and earlier increased overall quality than unpruned plants. However, this advantage is somewhat tempered by the four-month winter period when pruned plants tended to have poorer overall quality than unpruned plants and the fact that unpruned plants, after about a month past peak flowering of pruned plants, “caught up” to and equaled pruned plants in overall quality and surpassed them in the quantity of inflorescences per 15 × 15 cm square area. Consistent anecdotal evidence suggests that over the long term minimal and less severe pruning might result in plants of equal or better quality, a subject that needs further investigation. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21414/B1XS33