Overview
Butia microspadix is a very small species of grass-like Butia palm usually with an underground trunk; native to the states of Paraná and São Paulo in Brazil. It has been given the common name dwarf woolly jelly palm in English. It is locally known as butiazinho-do-campo or just butiazinho in Portuguese. The species epithet is derived from ancient Greek μικρός (mikrós), meaning 'small', and σπάδῑξ (spā́dīx), originally meaning 'palm frond' but referring to the inflorescence.
Taxonomy
It was first described in Berlin in 1930 by Max Burret on the basis of two specimens collected in the 19th century in Brazil; one collected by Friedrich Sellow in São Paulo, the other by the cartographer Joseph Keller in Paraná. He also cited another specimen collected by the entomologist Hermann Luederwaldt to the south of São Paulo (no. 12267), which he mentioned was extremely close to the species as he described it. These specimens were all believed to be destroyed in 1943 during World War II by a fire caused by allied bombing. The fire also destroyed the records of where duplicates had been sent. In 1968 he published his opinion that, although it appeared to be the same as the specimens of Syagrus hatschbachii he had, as Luederwaldt's specimen was of an immature plant he thus could not be certain it was the same.
As he found the specimen did not match Burret's description to his "satisfaction", he considered Burret's Butia microspadix to be a species incerta. He repeated this in 1970, but in 1979, after having studied additional specimens, he changed his mind and concluded that these two taxa were indeed the same.
Description
Butia microspadix is usually acaulescent, but may sometimes, rarely, develop a tiny trunk of up to 20–30 cm, and 10 cm diameter. The 3-10 leaves are pinnate and coloured greyish-green. The 13–20 cm long leaf petiole is spineless, bearing only some fibres along the margins at the base. The petiole is 0.4-0.6 cm wide and flat on top but rounded elsewhere. The rachis is 30–74 cm in length. The 15-29 pinnae (leaflets) on each side of the leaf rachis are linear with an acuminate apex and inserted at a regular distance on the same plane per side of the leaf, so that each pair of pinnae forms a neat V ' -shape. These pinnae are 13–40 cm long and 0.3-0.8 cm wide in the middle of the rachis.
Similarly to B. eriospatha, it has woody spathes (in which the young inflorescence is developing) with the outside surface densely covered in a furry layer of lanate (woolly) tomentose indumentum; these differ from the spathes of that species by the hairs being shorter and darker purplish-brown. The spathe is 33–40 cm in length, with an enlarged part 10–18 cm long and 3.5-4.5 cm wide. The inflorescence is branched and up to 17 cm long. The inflorescence has a 27–32 cm peduncle and a lanceolate prophyll 7–14.5 cm long. The rachis of the inflorescence is 1–7.5 cm long and has 3-18 rachillae (branches) which are 6–12 cm long. The flowers are coloured yellow. The staminate (male) flowers are 5-7mm in length; the pistillate (female) flowers are 4–5mm in length.
The shape of the fruit is ellipsoid (like an elongated acorn with a small cap/base, or a rugby ball with one end flat); but shape of the nut is globose (round). The fruit are 1.5–2 cm long by 1–2 cm wide, generally a bit longer than wide, with a juicy flesh. The fruit have been described as coloured brown, or, when ripe, violet or greenish-yellow, and covered in a rusty-coloured fur. The nut is hard, 1.1-1.5 cm in diameter, has 1-2 seeds within, and contains a homogeneous endosperm.
Similar species
It is easily told apart from other miniature species of Butia by its densely furry spathes, with the hairs being woolly and persistent (not easily rubbed off). B. eriospatha can also be found growing in this region.
Distribution
The species is mostly restricted to eastern highlands of the state of Paraná, with small populations in the south of São Paulo state.
Habitat
It is found in dry grasslands or steppes known as campos gerais, Its habitat is severely fragmented.
Ecology
It fruits in the summer. Bees visiting the flowers in Vila Velha State Park in Ponta Grossa, Paraná, include Ceratalictus clonius, Ceratalictus stigon, Ceratalictus sp. and Dialictus spp.. The Dialictus spp. were only found on Butia microspadix.
Uses
It is collected by palm enthusiasts as an ornamental plant and seed has sometimes been available from specialist retailers since at least 2015, if not earlier.
Conservation
In 1979 Glassman claimed that the species appeared to be quite abundant in Paraná, apparently based on comments by Hatschbach. Nigel Kembrey, an English specialist in Butia horticulture, seconds this, calling it "extremely rare and threatened". It is one of the most protected Butia species, being present in at least six conservation areas: the Nascentes do Paranapanema State Park, Vila Velha State Park, Cerrado State Park, Guartelá State Park, and Parque Ibiti. At Represa Alagados in Ponta Grossa, Paraná, it also grows on the grounds of a hydroelectric facility.
Hybrids
In horticulture, F1 and even F2 hybrids have been created with Butia eriospatha.
Notes
: Sometimes misspelled in works by Glassman.