| Ptychococcus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Ptychococcus paradoxus fruits | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Arecales |
| Family: | Arecaceae |
| Subfamily: | Arecoideae |
| Tribe: | Areceae |
| Subtribe: | Ptychospermatinae |
| Genus: | Ptychococcus Becc.[1] |
| Species | |
Ptychococcus is amonoeciousgenus offlowering plant in thepalm family fromNew Guinea and theSolomon Islands. They are closely related toPtychosperma, only differentiated by the seed shape and endocarp type.[2] The name is a combination of theGreek for "fold" and theLatin for "berry".[3]
The trunks grow to 15 m, usually no wider than 25 cm, and both are solitary, ringed, andcrownshafted. Theleaf ispinnately compounded, in long sheaths, usually covered in scales and hairs, as is the shortpetiole. The ridgedrachis is flattened on the bottom and also covered in hairytomentum. The unusual leaflets are once-folded and toothed, twisting upwards in their bottom half. Each leaflet also bears scales and a prominentmidrib, with tomentose margins, and lacking visible veinlets.[2]
Theinflorescence emerges below thecrownshaft, stiff and horizontal, and branched to three orders. Covered in scales, thepeduncle is short and thick, the prophyll is tubular, beaked and tomentose, and the long rachis bears numerous short rachillae which are often Z-shaped. The rachillae bear short round bracts subtending triads of largeflowers throughout.[2]
Thestaminate flowers are more or less asymmetrical and bear three distinct, hairysepals, and three ovate, scalypetals. There may be as many as 100 stamens, with short filaments, and elongated, apically notched, deeplybifidanthers. Theexine is finely reticulate and tectate. The pistilode is bottle-shaped and has pointed tips. The pistillate flowers are smaller, ovoid, and occasionally hairy; both sepals and petals are imbricate, the latter bearing scales. There are three united staminodes forming a small cup, thegynoecium is ovoid and uniovulate; the pendulous stigma has three lobes. Thefruit is egg-shaped with a wrinkly exterior, divided into lobed segments when dry, and mature at orange or red. Theepicarp is fibrous, themesocarp fleshy, covering a five-lobedseed, resembling the dry fruit.
In New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, they are found in a variety of settings and at various elevations. Growing in rocky or mountainousrain forest, in rain forest low lands, and alongside rivers, they are not particular to soil type.P. lepidotus grows high, to 3000 m, not preferring truly tropical conditions.[2]
OnlyP. paradoxus is cultivated with any regularity, though it is relatively uncommon. They are tender to cold, need quickly draining soil and generous amounts of water. In the New Guinea highlands, the trunks ofP. lepidotus are used in construction or cut into 2 m strips and carved into bows; smaller pieces are fashioned into arrows and arrow heads.[2][4]
