Chamaedorea elegans Mart. Family - Arecaceae. Common Names(s) - Parlor palm. Synonym(s) - Neanthe bella O. F. Cook, nom. inval., Neanthe elegans (Mart.) O. F. Cook., Collinia elegans (Martius) Liebmann ex Oersted

Answer

Score

1.01

Is the species highly domesticated?

y=-3, n=0

n

0

1.02

Has the species become naturalized where grown?

y=1, n=-1

1.03

Does the species have weedy races?

y= 1, n=-1

2.01

Species suited to tropical or subtropical climate(s) (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high) – If island is primarily wet habitat, then substitute “wet tropical” for “tropical or subtropical”

See Append 2

2

2.02

Quality of climate match data (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high) see appendix 2

2

2.03

Broad climate suitability (environmental versatility)

y=1, n=0

y

1

2.04

Native or naturalized in regions with tropical or subtropical climates

y=1, n=0

y

1

2.05

Does the species have a history of repeated introductions outside its natural range?

y=-2, ?=-1, n=0

y

3.01

Naturalized beyond native range y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2), n= question 2.05

3.02

Garden/amenity/disturbance weed y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

n

0

3.03

Agricultural/forestry/horticultural weed y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

n

0

3.04

Environmental weed y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

n

0

3.05

Congeneric weed y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

n

0

4.01

Produces spines, thorns or burrs

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.02

Allelopathic

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.03

Parasitic

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.04

Unpalatable to grazing animals

y=1, n=-1

4.05

Toxic to animals

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.06

Host for recognized pests and pathogens

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.07

Causes allergies or is otherwise toxic to humans

y=1, n=0

4.08

Creates a fire hazard in natural ecosystems

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.09

Is a shade tolerant plant at some stage of its life cycle

y=1, n=0

y

1

4.10

Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions (or limestone conditions if not a volcanic island)

y=1, n=0

y

1

4.11

Climbing or smothering growth habit

y=1, n=0

n

0

4.12

Forms dense thickets

y=1, n=0

n

0

5.01

Aquatic

y=5, n=0

n

0

5.02

Grass

y=1, n=0

n

0

5.03

Nitrogen fixing woody plant

y=1, n=0

n

0

5.04

Geophyte (herbaceous with underground storage organs -- bulbs, corms, or tubers)

y=1, n=0

n

0

6.01

Evidence of substantial reproductive failure in native habitat

y=1, n=0

n

0

6.02

Produces viable seed.

y=1, n=-1

y

1

6.03

Hybridizes naturally

y=1, n=-1

6.04

Self-compatible or apomictic

y=1, n=-1

6.05

Requires specialist pollinators

y=-1, n=0

y

-1

6.06

Reproduction by vegetative fragmentation

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

6.07

Minimum generative time (years) 1 year = 1, 2 or 3 years = 0, 4+ years = -1

See left

4

-1

7.01

Propagules likely to be dispersed unintentionally (plants growing in heavily trafficked areas)

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

7.02

Propagules dispersed intentionally by people

y=1, n=-1

y

1

7.03

Propagules likely to disperse as a produce contaminant

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

7.04

Propagules adapted to wind dispersal

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

7.05

Propagules water dispersed

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

7.06

Propagules bird dispersed

y=1, n=-1

y

1

7.07

Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally)

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

7.08

Propagules survive passage through the gut

y=1, n=-1

y

1

8.01

Prolific seed production (>1000/m2)

y=1, n=-1

n

-1

8.02

Evidence that a persistent propagule bank is formed (>1 yr)

y=1, n=-1

8.03

Well controlled by herbicides

y=-1, n=1

8.04

Tolerates, or benefits from, mutilation, cultivation, or fire

y=1, n=-1

y

1

8.05

Effective natural enemies present locally (e.g. introduced biocontrol agents)

y=-1, n=1

Total score:

0

Notes

Source

1.01

(1)No evidence

(1)Riffle, L. R. and Craft, P. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland. U.S.A.

1.02

1.03

2.01

(1)Chamaedorea elegans grows naturally in the rain forest and cloud forests of Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize from sea level to 4500 feet in elevation.

(1)Riffle, L. R. and Craft, P. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland. U.S.A.

2.02

(1)Chamaedorea elegans grows naturally in the rain forest and cloud forests of Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize from sea level to 4500 feet in elevation.

(1)Riffle, L. R. and Craft, P. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland. U.S.A.

2.03

(1)from sea level to 4500 feet in elevation. [>1000 m elevational distribution] …The palm is adaptable only to zones 10b and 11 and is marginal in 10a.

(1)Riffle, L. R. and Craft, P. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland. U.S.A.

2.04

(1)Chamaedorea elegans grows naturally in the rain forest and cloud forests of Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize from sea level to 4500 feet in elevation.

(1)Riffle, L. R. and Craft, P. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland. U.S.A.

2.05

(1)The distribution of the species Chamaedorea elegans Mart is restricted to the American continent, from Mexico to Guatemala (Hodel, 1992). However, due to its wide adaptation to different climates and temperatures as indoor plant this species has been distributed to all types of climates worldwide.

(1)Sol-Sánchez, A. 2007. Ecological and economic factors affecting the sustainable production of camedor palm (Chamaedorea elegans Mart) in Petén, Guatemala and Veracruz, Mexico. PhD Dissertation, CATIE Ph.D. Program, Turrialba, Costa Rica.

3.01

(1)Listed as naturalized [no further information found]

(1)http://www.hear.org/gcw/species/chamaedorea_elegans/ [Accessed 22 Dec 2009]

3.02

(1)No evidence

(1)http://www.hear.org/gcw/species/chamaedorea_elegans/ [Accessed 22 Dec 2009]

3.03

(1)No evidence

(1)http://www.hear.org/gcw/species/chamaedorea_elegans/ [Accessed 22 Dec 2009]

3.04

(1)No evidence

(1)http://www.hear.org/gcw/species/chamaedorea_elegans/ [Accessed 22 Dec 2009]

3.05

(1)Chamaedorea cataractarum and Chamaedorea seifrizii list as potential weeds, but no evidence of negative impacts found in literature

(1)http://www.hear.org/gcw/scientificnames/scinamec.htm [Accessed 22 Dec 2009]

4.01

(1)Chamaedorea elegans or Parlor Palm is a small understory palm native to the rainforest regions of Guatemala and Mexico. The slender cane-like stem will reach about 6 feet (1.8 m) tall. It has dark green, pinnate leaves on a pale rachis with 11-20 pinnae. (2)Plants unarmed,

(1)http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week409.shtml [Accessed 22 Dec 2009] (2): Standley, P. C. 1920. Trees and shrubs of Mexico. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Volume 23. Government Printing Office, Washingoton, D.C.

4.02

(1)No evidence

(1)Riffle, L. R. and Craft, P. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland. U.S.A.

4.03

(1)No evidence

(1)Riffle, L. R. and Craft, P. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland. U.S.A.

4.04

(1)Chamaedorea elegans - Parlour palm, Neanthe Bella (solitary - Central America). Unopened inflorescences eaten raw or cooked. [for human consumption, no information on palatability of leaves to animals]

(1)http://www.plantapalm.com/Vpe/ethnobotany/EdiblePalms.PDF [Accessed 23 Dec 2009]

4.05

(1)Toxicity: Non-Toxic to Cats, Non-Toxic to Dogs (2)Listed among Safe Plants for Birds (3)Parlor Palm—(Chamaedorea elegans) non-toxic.

(1)http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants/bamboo-palm.html [Accessed 23 Dec 2009] (2)http://www.multiscope.com/hotspot/safeplants.htm [Accessed 23 Dec 2009] (3)http://lancaster.unl.edu/factsheets/031.htm [Accessed 23 Dec 2009]

4.06

(1)Pest resistance: long-term health usually not affected by pests...No diseases are of major concern.

(1)http://hort.ufl.edu/shrubs/CHAELEA.PDF [Accessed 22 Dec 2009]

4.07

(1)Danger: All parts of plant are poisonous if ingested [although other references suggest plant is non-toxic. See 4.05] (2)The juice of ripe Chamaedorea fruits is intensely irritating to the skin, causing burning and itching sensations. Mischievous boys sometimes push through crowds of people, rubbing the juice on their arms, much to the discomfort of persons so molested. (3)The sap of all species is said to be irritating to the skin to some extent.

(1)http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1479/ [Accessed 22 Dec 2009] (2)Standley, P. C. and J. A. Steyermark. Flora of Guatemala. FIELDIANA: BOTANY, VOLUME 24, PART I (3)Riffle, R. L. 1998. The Tropical Look: An Encyclopedia of Dramatic Landscape Plants. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

4.08

(1)rain forest, often on limestone soils, to 1400 m elevation. [no evidence, and unlikely given rain forest habitat].

(1)Henderson, A., G. Galeano, and R. Bernal. 1997. Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.

4.09

(1)C. elegans occurs strictly in the understory of tropical rain forest where light is a critical limiting resource. (2)Sun Exposure: Partial to Full Shade (3)Chamaedorea elegans need full shade to low interior lighting with a well-drained evenly moist soil.

(1)Anten, N. P. R., M. Martinez-Ramos, and D. D. Ackerly. 2003. Defoliation and Growth in an Understory Palm: Quantifying the Contributions of Compensatory Responses. Ecology 84(11): 2905-2918. (2)http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1479/ [Accessed 22 Dec 2009] (3)http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week409.shtml [Accessed 22 Dec 2009]

4.10

(1)Soil pH requirements: 5.6 to 6.0 (acidic) 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) (2)Soil tolerances: slightly alkaline; clay; sand; acidic; loam (3)This genus of palms grows in a wide array of substrates, such as soils of volcanic origin, which have excellent structure enhancing their aeration, porosity and drainage. Soils in the tropics are often covered by an organic layer of humus composed of leaf litter, twigs, small branches, logs and mosses, lichens and other microflora in various states of decay. The leaf litter of the forest floor serves several functions such as to help maintain moisture, supply a low but constant stream of nutrients from the decaying materials and provide an appropriate medium for the germination of the seeds and establishment of seedlings and young plants. Another substrate where Chamaedorea usually occurs is calcareous soils or limestone rock. C. pygmaea has been reported to grow as an epiphyte in Panama. One species is a rheophyte, meaning that it grows along swiftly moving watercourses that are occasionally flooded. Chamaedorea are also considered as lithophytes because sometimes they grow on solid rock, usually limestone (Hodel, 1992)

(1)http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1479/ [Accessed 22 Dec 2009] (2)http://hort.ufl.edu/shrubs/CHAELEA.PDF [Accessed 22 Dec 2009] (3)Sol-Sánchez, A. 2007. Ecological and economic factors affecting the sustainable production of camedor palm (Chamaedorea elegans Mart) in Petén, Guatemala and Veracruz, Mexico. PhD Dissertation, CATIE Ph.D. Program, Turrialba, Costa Rica.

4.11

(1)Stems solitary, 0.3-2 m tall and o.8-1.5 cm diameter, erect or often leaning.

(1)Henderson, A., G. Galeano, and R. Bernal. 1997. Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.

4.12

(1)No evidence

(1)Henderson, A., G. Galeano, and R. Bernal. 1997. Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.

5.01

(1)Terrestrial

(1)Riffle, L. R. and Craft, P. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland. U.S.A.

5.02

(1)Arecaceae

(1)Riffle, L. R. and Craft, P. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland. U.S.A.

5.03

(1)Arecaceae

(1)Riffle, L. R. and Craft, P. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. Portland. U.S.A.

5.04

(1)Stems solitary, 0.3-2 m tall and o.8-1.5 cm diameter, erect or often leaning.

(1)Henderson, A., G. Galeano, and R. Bernal. 1997. Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.

6.01

(1)Seed production of C. elegans is difficult as the palm does not seed readily outside its native habitat without artificial pollination [apparently able to produce seed within native range]

(1)Johnson, D. V. 1996. Palms: their conservation and sustained utilization : status survey and conservation action plan. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.

6.02

(1)Mature fruit is black and seed germination, which can be erratic, take up to 12 months with bottom heat.

(1)Ellison, D. and A. Ellison. 2001. Cultivated palms of the world. UNSW Press, Sydney, Australia.

6.04

(1)Placed in its own subgenus because of its unusual flowers. The petals of both male and female flowers are joined and open only by a small, 3-angled pore at the tips. It would be very interesting to know how this species is pollinated. (2)For this study we used the nonclonal dioecious tropical palm Chamaedorea elegans.

(1)Henderson, A., G. Galeano, and R. Bernal. 1997. Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. (2)Anten, N. P. R., M. Martinez-Ramos, and D. D. Ackerly. 2003. Defoliation and Growth in an Understory Palm: Quantifying the Contributions of Compensatory Responses. Ecology 84(11): 2905-2918.

6.05

(1)Placed in its own subgenus because of its unusual flowers. The petals of both male and female flowers are joined and open only by a small, 3-angled pore at the tips. It would be very interesting to know how this species is pollinated. (2)Seed production of C. elegans is difficult as the palm does not seed readily outside its native habitat without artificial pollination [presumably requires some unidentified, specialist pollinator] (3)It is important to mention that there are currently information gaps concerning pollinator agents not only for this species but also for the genus in general (Hodel, 1992; Ramon 2001)...It is uncertain how palms are pollinated in the understory. In open areas, wind is the main pollinator, but a theory is that the abundance of pollen and multiplicity of stamen or excess of staminate flowers produced in this species is an adaptation to insect predation rather than to wind pollination. Flies, bees and beetles have been reported as pollinators of understory species of palms such as Asterogyne martiana and Bactris sp, (Essig 1971). For the genus Chamaedorea, Henderson (1986) cited that bees, beetles and weevils collected pollen at staminate flowers and that they were attracted to the pistillate flowers of Chamaedorea costaricana. In general, most species of Chamaedorea have aromatic flowers, suggesting that they are indeed insect-pollinated. Similarly, many species have brightly colored flowers, such as yellow, red and orange, and sticky pollen, suggesting that insects participate in the pollination (Fisher and Moore, 1977).

(1)Henderson, A., G. Galeano, and R. Bernal. 1997. Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. (2)Johnson, D. V. 1996. Palms: their conservation and sustained utilization : status survey and conservation action plan. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. (3)Sol-Sánchez, A. 2007. Ecological and economic factors affecting the sustainable production of camedor palm (Chamaedorea elegans Mart) in Petén, Guatemala and Veracruz, Mexico. PhD Dissertation, CATIE Ph.D. Program, Turrialba, Costa Rica.

6.06

(1)For this study we used the nonclonal dioecious tropical palm Chamaedorea elegans [nonclonal]…This species has a monopodial growth form with compound pinnate leaves born along a single erect stem [monopodial, no evidence of vegetative spread or suckering] (2)This species (Chamaedorea elegans), can only be propagated by seed,

(1)Anten, N. P. R., M. Martinez-Ramos, and D. D. Ackerly. 2003. Defoliation and Growth in an Understory Palm: Quantifying the Contributions of Compensatory Responses. Ecology 84(11): 2905-2918. (2)Sol-Sánchez, A. 2007. Ecological and economic factors affecting the sustainable production of camedor palm (Chamaedorea elegans Mart) in Petén, Guatemala and Veracruz, Mexico. PhD Dissertation, CATIE Ph.D. Program, Turrialba, Costa Rica.

6.07

(1)Growth rate: slow (2)Parlor palms, in the genus Chamaedorea, are the most common type of feather-leaved palm. The Neathe Bella palm, Chamaedorea elegans, is a very slow growing dwarf palm (up to 6 feet tall) that will grow in locations that receive 50 to 150 foot candles of light. (3)This slender-stemmed palm grows slowly to a mature height of three feet over several years. (4)Height: Slow-growing. Fully mature plants may reach 3-4 ft (90 cm - 1.2 m).

(1)http://hort.ufl.edu/shrubs/CHAELEA.PDF [Accessed 22 Dec 2009] (2)http://www.uky.edu/Ag/HLA/anderson/palms.pdf [Accessed 23 Dec 2009] (3)http://www.molbaks.com/infopages/chamaedorea.pdf [Accessed 23 Dec 2009] (4)http://www.guide-to-houseplants.com/parlor-palm.html [Accessed 23 Dec 2009]

7.01

(1)fruits globose, 4-7 mm diameter, black, with thin petals, these mostly nonpersistent. [no means of external attachment]

(1)Henderson, A., G. Galeano, and R. Bernal. 1997. Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.

7.02

(1)It is widely cultivated and used extensively worldwide as an indoor plant.

(1)Ellison, D. and A. Ellison. 2001. Cultivated palms of the world. UNSW Press, Sydney, Australia.

7.03

(1)It is widely cultivated and used extensively worldwide as an indoor plant. [widely grown palm, but with no evidence of contaminating produce]

(1)Ellison, D. and A. Ellison. 2001. Cultivated palms of the world. UNSW Press, Sydney, Australia.

7.04

(1)fruits globose, 4-7 mm diameter, black, with thin petals, these mostly nonpersistent. [no means of external attachment]

(1)Henderson, A., G. Galeano, and R. Bernal. 1997. Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.

7.05

(1)fruits globose, 4-7 mm diameter, black, with thin petals, these mostly nonpersistent. [no evidence]

(1)Henderson, A., G. Galeano, and R. Bernal. 1997. Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.

7.06

(1)fruits globose, 4-7 mm diameter, black, with thin petals, these mostly nonpersistent. [fleshy fruited]

(1)Henderson, A., G. Galeano, and R. Bernal. 1997. Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.

7.07

(1)fruits globose, 4-7 mm diameter, black, with thin petals, these mostly nonpersistent. [no evidence, and no means of external attachment]

(1)Henderson, A., G. Galeano, and R. Bernal. 1997. Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.

7.08

(1)fruits globose, 4-7 mm diameter, black, with thin petals, these mostly nonpersistent. [fleshy fruited]

(1)Henderson, A., G. Galeano, and R. Bernal. 1997. Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.

8.01

(1)Stems solitary, 0.3-2 m tall and o.8-1.5 cm diameter, erect or often leaning. [unlikely, given small size of trees, despite small fruit and seed size]

(1)Henderson, A., G. Galeano, and R. Bernal. 1997. Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.

8.02

(1)Germination is uncertain and can take from two to nine months, depending on ecological factors and the degree of seed maturity (Poole et al., 1974). However, depending on distance from the place of harvest, the seeds may suffer from some problems such as dehydration and fungi attacks on the surface, which penetrate and affect the embryo. It is recommendable for seeds to have three favorable conditions for good germinations: viability, no physical or chemical barriers and good conditions of humidity, temperate, light and oxygenation. Many problems in germination are due to failures in collection, management and seed storage.

(1)Sol-Sánchez, A. 2007. Ecological and economic factors affecting the sustainable production of camedor palm (Chamaedorea elegans Mart) in Petén, Guatemala and Veracruz, Mexico. PhD Dissertation, CATIE Ph.D. Program, Turrialba, Costa Rica.

8.03

Unknown [no information on control of species]

8.04

(1)Abstract We report the results of a two-year demographic study in which natural populations of Chamaedorea elegans were subject to harvesting twice a year, four times a year, and no harvesting. Projection matrix analyses indicated that population growth rate (λ) was above unity (although not significantly so) in all cases. The lowest λ values (1.03 and 1.04, for 1997-98 and 1998-99, respectively) were obtained in the high intensity defoliation plot. As harvesting intensity increased, fecundity decreased as a result of low fruit production. Leaf production was highest in the plot where defoliation was carried out twice a year (intermediate intensity). [population growth rate increases even in highest harvesting areas]

(1)Valverde, T., M. Hernandez-Apolinar and S. Mendoza-Amarom. 2006. Effect of Leaf Harvesting on the Demography of the Tropical Palm Chamaedorea elegans in South-Eastern Mexico. Journal of Sustainable Forestry 23(1): 85 - 105.

8.05

Unknown