A New Species of Palm Tree in Cuba - Coccothrinax torrida
Almost everyone knows a Palm tree when they see one, but would you know a new species if you came accross it? Botonist, Raúl Verdecia, proves that he does and has announced his discovery of the Coccothrinax torrida.
Cuban news station, Periodico26, has the story: New Palm Tree Species Found in Cuba. If you can read Spanish you may find the more detailed, Nuevo aporte a la ciencia cubana, interesting.
The name Torrida comes from Latin, torrid or torridus, because of the extremely hot temperatures where this palm lives.
(photo by Carlo Morici)
DID YOU KNOW: Coccotrinax palms are the largest palm genus of the Caribbean, and most are found in Cuba.
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Arecales
Family: Arecaceae (aka Palmae)
Genus: Coccothrinax