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Plant size and form in the understory palm genus Geonoma: are species variations on a theme?
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Plant size and form in the understory palm genus Geonoma: are species variations on a theme?

Robin L Chazdon
American Journal of Botany, Vol.78(5), pp.680-694
1991
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1537-2197.1991.tb12592.x
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Abstract

crown architecture leaf morphology plant architecture Colombia Costa Rica Geonoma
Leaf size, leaf form, plant size and growth form were compared within and among 23 species of Geonoma from lowland and montane rain forest areas of Costa Rica and Colombia. Leaf size was significantly correlated with crown height in 18 of the 21 species examined, and with stem diameter in 17 of the species. In species characterized by a gradual ontogenetic transition from bifid to dissected leaves, shoots with bifid leaves were significantly smaller than shoots with dissected leaves with respect to rachis length, number of plications, and stem diameter. Among species, stem diameter below the crown explained 74% of the variation in leaf size (rachis length). Crown height and stem diameter were positively correlated among clustered species, but not among solitary species or all species combined. Leaf dissection was correlated with crown height among the 17 species with dissected leaves; species with bifid leaves were significantly smaller than species with dissected leaves with respect to leaf size and stem diameter. Solitary species had larger leaves and larger stem diameters than clustered species at the same crown heights. These patterns suggest that Geonoma species are variants on a genetic theme. -from Author

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