Hemithrinax compacta

Hemithrinax compacta
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
(unranked):	Commelinids
Order:	Arecales
Family:	Arecaceae
Subfamily:	Coryphoideae
Tribe:	Corypheae
Genus:	Hemithrinax
Species:	H. compacta
Binomial name
Hemithrinax compacta (Griseb. & H.Wendl.) M.Gómez
Synonyms[1]
Hemithrinax compacta (Griseb. & H. Wendl.) Hook. f. Thrinax compacta (Griseb. & H.Wendl.) Borhidi & O.Muñiz Trithrinax compacta Griseb. & H.Wendl.

Hemithrinax compacta (syn. Thrinax compacta) is a species of palm that is endemic to Cuba. Hemithrinax compacta flourishes on the mogotes of Cuba. Mogotes are dome-shaped hills in Cuba made up of coral rock. Hemithrinax compacta is the only species in its genus in Cuba that grows in the highlands, at an elevation of 450 m. Hemithrinax compacta needs to have more than 2400 mm per year of rainfall and a mean temperature of 22 degrees Celsius. The leaves of the palm have an average length of 190 cm and the inflorescence of the palm is tightly clustered, giving rise to the species name. A mature H. compacta can have a massive trunk of up to 10 cm thick and more than 20 m in height. The Thrinax genus has been grown in gardens. In addition, in the Thrinax genus the fruits are dispersed and eaten by red-bellied woodpeckers, birds, gray squirrels and lizards. ^{[2] [3]}

References

1. "Hemithrinax compacta (Griseb. & H.Wendl.) M.Gómez". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 12 December 2014 – via The Plant List.
2. Morici, Carlos. "The Genus Thrinax in Cuba." Palms (2000): 63-68. 2000. Web. 3 Dec. 2014.
3. "Thrinax Compacta." Thrinax Compacta. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2014. <http://zipcodezoo.com/Plants/T/Thrinax_compacta/#SimilarSpecies>.