10-20-97 v TREE CONSERVATION BOARD
Minutes of meeting of October 20 , 1997
The Board held its regular meeting on Monday, October 20, in
the Commission Chambers of City Hall . Present were :
Mae Jones Judy Jacobson Rick Bell
Staff : Carl Walker, Coordinator
The meeting was called to order at 7 : 30 PM by acting Chair,
Mae Jones .
Lauren Goldenberg introduced herself to the Board for the
review of the application for Lot #5 , Sevilla Gardens , Unit
#1 . She explained that she currently lives on the property
next door to this lot but is building a new residence to
change the size and configuration of the home. She also said
that the house plan was intended to make the best use of the
lot, and to take into consideration the large oaks .
During Board discussion, it was agreed that a total of 119"
DBH of oaks were proposed for removal requiring replacement
of 59 . 5" DBH of oak trees . It was also agreed that there were
no existing oaks to remain on the lot which could be used for
mitigation. Ms. Goldenberg advised it was possible that she
might be able to save a 22" DBH oak to the front of the lot
currently proposed for removal . The process for returning
to the Board for an amendment later was explained.
The Board agreed that none of the palm trees being removed
were protected so no replacements would be required. The ap-
plicant advised that she intended to plant the replacement
oaks on site but if she found later that this was not pos-
sible, she would come before the Board again for amendment
and a contribution to the tree fund.
Judy Jacobson encouraged Ms . Goldenberg to save the 22" oak
in the front of the lot, if at all possible. She then made a
motion to accept the application, as submitted, with the re-
quirement that 59 . 5" DBH of oaks be replaced on the lot as
mitigation for the 119" DBH of oak being removed and to give
strong consideration to saving the 22" oak in the front of
the lot. The motion was seconded by Rick Bell and passed
unanimously.
The next application was for property described as Lot #13 ,
Sevilla Gardens , Unit # 2 . Thomas Brodeur, property owner,
was present and distributed to the members a revised tree
survey which he had prepared showing the entire lot and in-
cludes all of the existing trees in the rear portion of the
property.
Considerable discussion followed by the Board members , all of
whom had visited the site and encountered problems in recon-
ciling the tree survey with the existing trees . This was
especially true of an area in the middle-front of the lot
where several trees are proposed for removal . The Board ex-
plained to the applicant that these discrepancies make it
difficult to properly calculate the number of inches to be
removed. It was also noted that some of the trees are multi-
trunk and need to be remeasured as such.
The Board asked Mr. Brodeur to return at a future meeting
with an accurate survey and amended application. The appli-
cant was in agreement and action on the item was deferred
until a later date.
Local resident Rae Brady addressed the Board, highlighting
information from the articles ( see attached) on Cabbage Palms
which she had distributed at the last regular Board meeting .
Mae Jones explained to Ms . Brady that plans for the core city
improvement project were currently "on hold" until such time
as the committee appointed by the Mayor had the opportunity
to study the available options and present them to the City
Commission, so no action could be taken by the Board.
In the meantime , some suggestions were made to Ms. Brady for
further action she might consider and she was thanked for her
research and for sharing the information with the Board.
Mae Jones asked that discussion on the two items listed under
old business be deferred until more Board members were pre-
sent. She added that she had spoken with Herschel Shepard on
the designation of the historic area and he was checking on
the appointment of an intern to assist with the project.
Judy Jacobson moved to approve the minutes of the last meet-
ing, as written; Mae Jones seconded and the motion passed
unanimously.
There was no further business and the meeting was adjourned
by Mae Jones at 8 : 55 PM.
(1A
Carl E. Walker
Board Coordinator
- 2 -
i
abbage palm is one
' �� j ` I i ' �� of the most common
Ili 7// / , ,, of all our native
• \ ` � , 14`�� �/"itof.
palms,but is probably one of
`t�� I� f ifM f .; /�j the least appreciated. This
\\`‘ Ct1`1 . ./ ` o• �/ �
medium-sized fan pay n is our
I / ► Air,
f /- state tree and a si nature of
`� !.4,44 itf � � �� tCze—Flor da skyline.The heart
� ll�/1y V�d � r f�—� �?.- of the palm (the bud of
,j _ � i '\ ' / . ,�; unopened leaves) is eaten as
��� • ip,‘„ . �i� :Ti'swampcabbage;' a practice''� �� • ” ..-- ore prevalent in historic
� � - . \.�\p/
,,�� l = times when supply seemed
'� �e. /fa �1� `� ���' inexhaustible, since the
Arm, - •` \14,4... 4V
'43;
tr . Slwhitefrant
�' �+ �r s ����� source;the black berries are f
�i� ` ` \�\ I•'I \.' \‘‘k.:„---:.... .,,..,,,,,,
\\ high value as wildlife food,
\ :_ 11 •` le and are produced yearly in
i.
! �/ ..�
I _ i •, i abundance.This resilient tree
endures fire,flood,freeze,and
hurricane, and _recover's
�I► remarkably well after being
• aug from the wild, carried
-across the.state, and then
planted into harsh urban sites.
W�
�_ Our demand for this palm in
b C
a bU - ,. . e
landscape plantings is having
• a le effect on wild
•
o ulations, and we need to
• better u c erstand the current
status and future of this
a ,:: : ::, .._ : 5
stalwart native palm.
Often misspelled as"sable"
.,, (the name of a small northern
mammal, or the color of
• Can We Continue to sand), the genus of the
cabbage _palm, Sabal, is
•''•' Transplant from derived from a South
,�h� ;��y American native language.
The specific epithet palmetto
y simply means"little palm"in
Spanish,although this is not
r.
- by Richard Moyroud
especially descriptive of a
0 i artwork by Jill Young palm which often attains 50
i__ feet in height. (The name
palmetto is more ap r to
� ----
THE PALMETTO Fail 1996•13
i
-/ �_
for another native palm the many cabbage palms away from the trunk.Instead, problem is worse in heavy
commonly called saww' i`l icli came through new roots are initiated at the soils, bur these palms will
palmetto (Serenoa repens), Hurricane Andrew withTttle base of the trunk, replacing tolerate some fill if it is very
which truly is a small palm; or no damage. the cut(and dead) roots. sandy and porous (beach
its petioles are armed with The fire adaptation of this All of the characteristics areas have naturally shifting
sharp teeth like a saw-blade.) palm may help explain its detailed above help explain dunes and are a common
Cabbage palm has no teeth or good response to the brutal the reasons for success in habitat for cabbage palm). It
sharp projections anywhere technique used in transplanting, now a very is best to think of this
on the plant.The leaf blade is transplanting. When fire reliable rocedure. In the transplant as a giant cutting;
very distinctive and is termed sweeps through a cabbage ie ,palms roots are cut just the leaves have been removed
''costa-palmate,"which simply palm grove, all of the leaves inches from the trunk with a to prevent water loss since
means palmate, but with a are consumed, and the large steel blade which slices there are no functioning
"rib;'or stem, extending into leafbases are often burned off into the soil on four or more roots, so new roots and new
the leaf.This extension of the of the trunk. Almost sides around the base of the leaves develop simultaneously,
leafstem causes _ e I fueled by the
the center of "...a cabbage palm with 20 feet of trunk is at least 50 years old!" stored energy
the blade to in the trunk.
curve downward and the immediately,the growing bud tree; a chain is then wrapped Very small cabba e palms
adjacent surfaces to form expands from the top and around the trunk and the with less than three feet of
elaborate complex saddle soon a new crown is - alm is pulled fro m the_ trunk are almost impossible
shapes. Few palms have such produced, with healthy ground.It is then carried to a to transplant, eerhaps because
pronounced curvature in their fronds catching sunlight holding area where all the ley lack sufficient energy
leaves, but this may provide before any nearby leaves are cut off, and the reserves. Palms in this size
added biomechanical competition has recovered.In trunks are often planed range are actually very
strength. Long thin fibers palms,the trunk is unlike that smooth to satisfy some attractive, and can be moved
often hang from the junction of most trees in that there is buyers, and finally they are succesfully from nurseries
of segments along the outer which have grown plants in
edge of the leaf. The base of "Trees in landscape jobs that are 30 or 40 �ecial fiber bags to confine
the leafstem splits where it feet tall ... 70 to 95 years old ... Will there the roots.
joins the trunk, and often One of the most intriguing
be trees this old available in five years?"
remains in place, forming a questions in palm biology is
beautiful basket-weave the rate of growth of various
pattern.These old leafbases no layer of bark protecting loaded like logwood onto species,especially in the wild.
are often called"boots,"for a one thin layer of living tissue flatbed trucks for delivery. Age and growth rates of
resemblance to the"bootjack," (cambium), essential to the Some palms seem to retain cabbage palm are now the
a V-shaped device once used tree's survival. Palms, like most of their leafbases while object of study through the
to grab the heel and help cornstalks, have bundles of others are naturally bare; University of Florida, and
remove one's boots. cambium and other vessels scraping leafbases from the preliminary results indicate
Cabbage palm ranges grouped and scattered trunks produces an some startling news: under
throughout Florida except for throughout the trunk so that unattractive, artificial look, average conditions in the wild,
the interior of the Panhandle. scarring the surface a few closer to milled lumber than plants will require ten to
It grows in almost all inches does not cause severe healthy palm trunks.Eisb fifteen or more years from
exposures and soils, and is damage.Finally,palms have a proper installation and seed to the first sign of a trunk
extremely fire tolerant, but vigorous, branched root regular irrigation, recover/.is at ground level; thereafter,
mature lants ar un system and there are no"tap 100%. trunks will grow about six
emanding; shading can kill roots." Research has also The most common inches per year. This means
adult trees.In any case,roots, shown that cabbage palm mistakes are to plant too that a cabbage palm with 20
trunks, roduce a does not regenerate cut roots deeply, sometimes to make feet of trunk is at least 50
very durable tree,as proven by unless they are many feet uneven heights match; this years old! We often see trees
14 • THE PALMETTO Fall 1996
r .
' in landscape jobs that are 30 relatively low cost of such any parr of the state. Native and to express their concerns
or 40 feet tall,or 70 to 95 years pants does not reflect their nurseries are propagating this for the long-term effects of a
old! Will there be trees this true value.Could these same plant from seed, and both practice taken for granted for
old available in five years; in areas be actively managed for container-grown and field- far too long a time.
ten years? All of these trees sustainable harvest of this grown plants are available and Richard Moyroud is the owner of
are being"harvested"from He tree? This woul re a are being used as landscapers Mesozoic Landscapes.Jill Young is a
graduate student at Florida Atlantic
wild on private lands,and the- long range plan and concern discover them.It is up to the University. Article printed with
fee paid to the landowner is for the health and public and agencies to ask permission of Betrock Information
very small; in fact, most productivity of otherwise about the source and true cost Systems, Inc., from the August 1996
Landscape&Nursery Digest, Plant&
ranchers see the large stands marginal lands, but also of the plants which they buy Service Directory.
of cabbage palm as a speaks to the preservation of
detriment, since Sabal is nor a part of Florida's natural
considered a good pasture heritage represented by a 20ey7 R.-as
'7 U O
plant. Some of the collected unique plant community. Native Trees and Shrubs • Contract Growing
palms are shipped out of state, Another more recent problem Donna Sprunt, Owner • REG.#01367000
but many are simply iss arge amount of die-off 305-852-2636 ,.--..w41,,
I.
relocated, allowing them to of wild trees, especially near Mailing address: 9. .
continue to flower and fruit Gulf coast salt marshes.
102 Mohawk St rw.4
Tavernier FL 33070
unless they are over-pruned Recent studies suggest that a
by untrained tree trimmers or slight rise in the salinity of Nursery: U.S. 1 & M.M. 89, Plantation Key
Hours:M T W Th 8-4 pm Sat.8-4 pm Closed Fri. &Sun.
owners who cannot tolerate a ground water is to blame,
full head of leaves, fallen perhaps reflecting sea level
flowers, or fruit. As with all rise, compounded by our Tropicat
y�alms, the removal of livin drawdown of freshwater ",4T'S �t�lL! Lt
P g , �
ronds is detrimental — aquifers by canals and heavy
mineral elements move from pumping for cities and farms. s:•; andf Seed J..1 o ca to rs
declining fronds back into Just a few inches of elevation
growing tissues. Old leaves seems to make the difference Speer • 561-278-6004
are also a uniquelab itat for between life and death, so Fax • 561-276-8376
many native animals never plant cabbage palms in Mail Drawer 1000•Delray Beach FL•USA 33447-1000
including tree frogs and bats, low spots in coastal areas. REG:k11124000
while the leafbases (boots) We know
provide habitat for many that cabbage
beautiful and rare ferns. A palm is in 1176.46:',14 Association of
healthy, untrimmed Sabal high demand ' Florida Native Nurseries
palm has an almost spherical for landscape ""
crown,especially attractive in use and that planting • growing • educating • promoting Florida native plants
silhouette. it fulfills a
The natural occurrence of specific need Order Your Copy of the August 1996
almost solid forests of Sabal as a canopy landscape 4'Jursery Iigest
palmetto was noted in John tree — a
Davis' vegetation map of fo o I p r o o f featuring native plants in the landscape
Florida and these plant palm provid and providing a complete directory of suppliers of
communities are designated ing the feel of native plant materials and landscape services
as "Forests of Abundant the tropics Send your request and $5 to
abbage Palm." Unfortu- and an au- AFNN • PO Box 434 • Melrose FL 32666
'Lately,these areas are the ones t h e n t i c
being mined of trees for native plant
and please visit us on the Web:
http://members.aol.com/afnn/public/homepage.htm
landscape planting, and the for virtually
THE PALMETTO Fall 1996•15
. jAvt.."1":--5---- ft.7
American Journal of Botany 83(12): 1566-1570. 199b` /
ESTABLISHMENT GROWTH OF CABBAGE PALM,
SABAL PALMETTO (ARECACEAE)1
KELLY MCPHERSON AND KIMBERLYN WILLIAMS2
Department of Botany, University of Florida.Gainesville,Florida 32611
Cabbage palms(Sabal palmetto)go through an establishment phase during which the stem grows downward for a period
of time before growing upward. We estimated the duration of this phase for cabbage palms growing in coastal forest in
Florida using a matrix model approach. All data were collected over a 2-yr period (1993-1995) in coastal forest at Wac-
casassa Bay, Florida. The minimum ' ' cted by the model for a plant to develop an aboveground trunk was 14 r.'
We estimate that the fastest growing 1. 10, and 50%o plants wou develop an aboveground trunk in 33.42. and 59 yr,
respectively.The projected duration of the trunkless phase is surprisingly long but not unlike other palms with similar types
of establishment growth. Our estimates are much longer than anecdotal estimates for cabbage palms grown under nursery
conditions but are similar to anecdotal estimates for plants grown in field conditions. Management practices that remove
cabbage palms with aboveground stems usually leave a population of palms without aboveground stems that serves as
temporary reserve for relatively rapid recovery of the palm stand. This may foster the perception by many that cabbage
palms are fast growing.
Key words: Arecaceae;establishment phase;growth rate;palm;Sabal palmetto.
Young cabbage palms (Sabal palmetto (Walt.) Lodd. ing establishment growth, as in Sabal palmetto, such es-
ex Schultes) go through an establishment phase during timates may be extrapolated from short-term growth mea-
which they lack an aboveground stem. During this estab- surements taken on palms of different sizes in the estab-
t lishment phase the apical bud grows downward -- 0.75— lishment phase. The size of a palm in the establishment •
1.0 m (J. Putz, University of Florida, personal commu- phase (hereafter, referred to as "trunkless") may be de-
nication) before turning upward, giving the belowground scribed in terms of leaf length (Ash, 1988; Enright and
7 t, stem a "saxophone" shape (Fig. 1). After establishment, Watson, 1992), petiole circumference (Savage and Ash-
lj L the palm produces an aboveground trunk that may reach ton, 1983), number of leaf segments (Anderson, 1983),
27-30 in in height (Brown, 1982). Despite the wide- or any other feature that changes with overall plant size.
'i spread occurrence of Saba!palmetto through the South- As trunkless cabbage palms grow and produce new
east U. S. and the Caribbean, despite its distinction as the leaves, the number of leaf segments generally increases.
state tree of Florida and South Carolina, and despite The strap leaf of a newly germinated plant has three pli-
heavy commercial use of the species (both past and pres- tate leaf segments (Fig. 2), whereas a fully grown palm
ent), little is apparently known about the duration of its may have > 70 segments per costapalmate leaf(Figs. 2—
"trunkless" establishment phase. 4). We used measurements of growth (change in number
In other palms exhibiting saxophone-type establish- of leaf segments) of trunkless cabbage palms to deter-
ment growth, establishment may take decades. Enright mine probabilities of plants progressing from one size
and Watson (1992)estimated that the establishment phase class to another in a year. A matrix model was used to
of Rhopalostylis sapida, in New Zealand lasted 52 yr. project the time required for a palm to grow from a newly
Anderson (1983) estimated that the establishment phase germinated seedling to a plant with an aboveground
for Orbignya martiana in Brazil lasted 29-38 yr.Because trunk. Population biologists typically use matrix models
it is generally impractical to wait 30-50 yr to determine for determining population parameters such as the intrin-
the duration of establishment growth, other estimation sic rate of increase or stable age or stage distribution to
methods are often employed. Where leaf scars persist on help in evaluating the viability of a population or to pre-
belowground stems, the duration of the establishment dict the effects of some perturbation on the population.
phase may be estimated from leaf scar counts and mea- In contrast, we use transition data from only a selected
surements of leaf production rates(e.g.,Piiiero,Martinez- size range of the population to project the growth of in-
Ramos, and Sarukhan, 1984; Ataroff and Schwarzkopf, dividuals in a single theoretical cohort over many years.
1994). Where leaf scars are obliterated on belowground In this study, we estimated the duration of the trunkless
stems, or where the initial seedling axis degenerates dur- stage of cabbage palms growing in coastal hydric ham-
mock (a wetland hardwood forest type) on the west coast
'Manuscript received 24 November 1995;revision accepted 26 June of Florida. Cabbage palm is a dominant component of
1996. the vegetation in this area, and large individuals are corn-
The authors thank M. R. MacDonald. M. A. Pinard, L. J. Wescrick, monly extracted from similar areas for horticultural pur-
C.Alsaffar,T.Tamboia, M.Gibbs,R. Ostertag,and T. Rosenberger for
assistance in data collection,the staff of the Waccasassa Bay State Pre- poses.
serve and A.McDonald for logistical support,C.Lanciani and W.Crop-
per for useful discussions, and R. Moyroud, K. Brown,and R.Simons MATERIALS AND METHODS
for their observations and comments. This research was supported by
NSF grant DEB 9357080 to K. Williams. Leaf production rates and leaf size (number of segments per leaf)
Author for correspondence(FAX: 352-392-3993). were determined for trunkless palms located in three 20 x 20 m study
1566
•
December 1996] MCPHERSON AND WILLIAMS—ESTABLISHMENT GROWTH OF SABAL PALMETTO 1567
Leaf production data for individual plants were used only to calculate
'"O '' G average leaf size each year. (In some instances leaf production data for
,' • 1993-1994 was not available, but a record of leaf size was. Where the
'' number of leaves produced in a year was unknown it was assumed to
a' • equal the number produced in the following year.) Leaf size for the
smallest plants,with leaves of three segments,was further distinguished
by leaf width: plants with leaves s 8 mm wide and plants with leaves
I` > 8 mm wide. Because over 90% of new plants identified in repeated
surveys of the plots had leaves 7-8 mm wide, this width was used to
a` I tt I identify new recruits.
•f.,?,
'' To estimate the time required for a plant to develop an aboveground
1 ` �. ` stem in coastal forest, we constructed a transition matrix using data on
leaf size change from 1993 to 1994 (N = 38) and from 1994 to 1995
�il (N = 384). To estimate transition probabilities (the probability of leaf
�f,,i f+t.i'• • size increasing by one segment, two segments, three segments, etc., in
11' ;1 a year),plants of one to several sizes were grouped such that transition
probabilities for each size class were determined from data gathered on
S y at least 20 plants (in some cases from a range of size classes).A 49 X
it:i ' ' :ii ,-;G 49 matrix model, capable of projecting the growth of a cohort of seed-
•
; �t t` L B lings to a size at which they produced leaves with 50 segments was
'+ r constructed. At 50 segments, we assumed that plants would develop an
/;F aboveground stem. Data from the study plots revealed that all plants
:4. ...f
F'r t ¢ t x� I i with 52 segments per leaf had an aboveground stem, but some plants
/ developed a stem with leaves that had as few as 45 segments. A the-
.
rttii
Ilp�� 5 .; •,I � �� oretical cohort of 1000 plants was entered into the model in the smallest
* , H stage and the number of years (iterations) required for a proportion of
' vs t �`' ,1 •♦ � those plants to develop an aboveground trunk was projected.
's r nt V.•;V —– Using a chi-square test, we compared the size distribution predicted
(F � i- a for a cohort of seedlings 3 yr after emergence (after three iterations of
°ir ,-_sj v the model), to the size distribution of seedlings planted as seed in an
'‘':',:',:-:r .:','-`';';'-'•c• area near the study plots in January 1992 (Perry and Williams, 1996).
` – +,�` Number of leaf segments and leaf width were measured for the largest
M L s �-. leaf of each of the 30 surviving seedlings. Measurements were made in
°'k . \ _ September 1995, 3.75yr after plantingand 3.25yr after seedlingemer-
rt ; -� �`'Iw P' gence. -
RESULTS
Fig. I. A belowground stem of a trunkless cabbage palm with a
characteristic "saxophone" shape. Ground level (G), meristem position Leaf production rates were slow, and the size of leaves
(M), stem (S), and leaf bases (LB) are indicated. produced by a plant changed very slowly. Plants pro-
duced between zero and three leaves per year, and aver-
plots at Waccasassa Bay State Preserve,Levy county,Florida(29°10'N, age leaf production rate increased with plant size (Table
82°40'W). Plots were placed in the coastal forest using a stratified ran- 1). Plants had a high probability of producing the same
dom technique and were located 180-400 m from the edge of the salt size leaf 2 yr in a row. A few produced smaller leaves
marsh.The forest was a coastal hammock dominated by cabbage pal:n, as time progressed. Larger plants had a greater probabil-
southern red cedar(Juniperus virginiana L. var. silicicola (Small) Sil- ity of increasing leaf size, and these increases tended to
ba), live oak(Quercus virginiana Mill.), loblolly pine(Pinus taeda L.), be larger than those of smaller plants (Table 1).
Florida maple (Acer floridanunt (Chapm.) Pax.), and winged elm (UI- Projected growth rates were slow. The fastest that a
mus alata Michx.). Light transmission to the understory was =15%of cabbage palm could develop an aboveground trunk,given
full sun (measured at a height of 10 cm with a Sunfleck Ceptometer, the measured growth rates, was estimated to be 14 yr. We
Decagon, Pullman, WA). These plots experienced salt water flooding estimated that the fastest growing 1% of the seedlings
only during severe storm surges, and had relatively high trunkless cab- would develop an aboveground trunk by 33 yr, the fastest
bage palm densities of 1489 palms per plot(range = 308-3056).Palms 10% would develop one by 42 yr, and half the seedlings
with aboveground trunks occurred in densities of 17.3 palms per plot would develop one by 59 yr (Fig. 5).
(range = 12-24). Not all palm seedlings, however, survive to develop an
In the study plots, trunkless palms spanning the range of sizes from
new recruits to plants with incipient aboveground trunks were selected aboveground trunk. If the palm population in the study
for growth measurements. Growth monitoring began in 1993; ten ran- plots has a stable stage distribution, we estimate that only
domly chosen palms from broad size categories were marked as a pilot 3% of new recruits survive to develop an aboveground
project. Additional plants were added to the study in 1994 to increase trunk. The realized duration of the establishment phase
our sample size when 25 randomly placed subplots were constructed will depend, in part, on which seedlings are most likely
inside plot boundaries in which all trunkless palms were marked.In the to survive. If the fastest growing 3% are those that sur-
plot with the lowest density of trunkless palms, the entire plot was vive, we estimate that the establishment phase lasts 14—
• surveyed. The newest leaf on each plant was marked with a small 37 yr (median time, 34 yr). If survival and growth rate
amount of paint in 1993. 1994, and 1995. Plant size was assessed as are not coupled, median time is estimated to be 59 yr.
the average number of segments in leaves produced during a given year. Slightly more than 3 yr after emergence, palms planted
i
1568 AMlatic:\N Jc t i 'Al. 1)1 BOTANY [Vol. 83
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Figs. 2-4. Changes in leaf size in trunkless cabbage palms. 2. A cabbage palm with strap-shaped leases having three kat segments. Each
plicate leaf segment has a characteristic "v"-shape (upper bar in inset). Strap-shaped leases can have from three to seven teal segments. Lower
bar in inset indicates width of a strap-shaped leaf with three segments. 3. Palm seedling with strap-shaped leaf of three leaf segments 4.Trunkless
palm with leaves of 25 segments.
in 1992 were still quite small. Most had leaves with only species with "saxophone" establishment growth (Ander-
three segments and none had leaves with more than live son. 1983: Enright and Watson. 1992). The estimate was
segments. The size distribution of the cohort differed sig- affected substantially by the undetermined relationship
nificantly, however, from that projected by the matrix between growth rate and survival. While other research-
model (Table 2, x2 = 22.67, P < 0.01). The discrepancy ers have speculated that the fastest growing seedlings of
between the projected (0.5) and actual (4) number of various palm species are those most likely to survive
palms with five leaf segments accounted for almost the (Van Valen. 1975; Oyama, 1990). stochastic mortality
entire difference, contributing 22.01 to the total X- value. from storms. hogs, and other sources may make this as-
sumption less valid in the coastal hammocks of the Gulf
DISCUSSION Coast of Florida than in many other systems. The size
distribution of 30 palms planted in 1992 was slightly
Our estimate for the duration of the establishment skewed toward larger plants when compared to the dis-
phase of cabbage palm in coastal hydric hammock (= tribution projected by the matrix model. Whether this is
30-60 yr) is similar to estimates made for other palm evidence of a link between growth rate and survival. sug-
TABLE 1. Leaf production rates (leaves per year)and changes in plant size for tuskless Saba//t(dmtIIo of different ace groupings. All plant size
classes within a group were assigned the transition probabilities for that grouping and placed in a 49 x 49 maim.
Plant size Proportion of Mani.ih:m in_lea.ve duns,.1.cat
groupings Mean production -
(no.of segments) rate(range) -I it I _ 3 1 t, 3%.
3 (58 mm wide) 0.9(0-2) 0 0 0.69 0.31 0 0 11 it O 41
3 (>8 nun wide) 1.2(0-3) 0 0 0.91 11.07 (1.02 11 (1 it (1 142
4-5 1.6(0-3) 0.01 0.1)4 (1.73 0.17 0.04 11.1)1 I) i t 1) 77
6 1.6(1-3) 0 0.12 0.64 11.15 0.113 0.06 a ,1 0 34
7-8 1.7(1-3) 0 0 0.60 0.32 O.01 0 0 0 25
9-10 1.6(1-2) 0 0.07 0.45 0.41 0.07 ii 0 •t I I 29
11-14 1.6(1-2) 0.05 0 0.33 0.48 0.05 0.10 0 ,t 11 21
15-22 1.5(1-3) 0.04 0.12 0.28 0.22(1 0.24 0.12 O II 0 25
• 23-50 1.9(1-3) 0 0 0.08 0.21 0.17 0.21 0.25 0(14 0.04 24
'Change in number of leaf segments.
December 1996] MCPHERSON AND WILLIAMS—ESTABLISHMENT GROWTH OF SABAL PALMETTO 1569
1- TABLE 2. Predicted size distribution of 3-yr-old plants and size distri-
butions of plants from seed planted in 1992. Model predictions of
• the fraction of the cohort in each size class were multiplied by 30
WO for comparison to the measured cohort.
c 0.8-
i Leaf size Predicted no. Actual no.
(711y (segments) of plants of plants
RS ':1 3 (5_8 mm wide) 9.870 8
0.6- 3 (>8 mm wide) 17.994 17
o bo1.521 1
-.0 (50% at 59 yr) 5 0.543 4
6 0.057 0
O O 0 '4- 7 0.015 0
o R 8 0.002 0
" R 0.2-
as
w f-10% at 42 yr vations of the duration of the establishment phase in
different environments are similar to our estimates for the
1% at 33 yr faster growing plants at our coastal study site. Given that
0 r I I I I i I these observations involved plants growing at different lat-
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 itudes, in higher light environments, and, presumably,
Age (yr) more favorable growing conditions than those in the coast-
al forest, our estimates of 30 yr or more for the establish-
Fig. 5. The model results indicate that the fastest a cabbage palm ment phase in coastal forest seem plausible.
could develop a trunk is in 14 yr. The fastest growing I, 10, and 50% he long time required for a cabbage palm to develop
of a cohort of cabbage palms would develop an aboveground stem in
33, 42, and 59 yr, respectively. an abovegyoun. run is inconsis en wi e • • ly
eT view of this species as a rapidly •rowing species.
Cabbage palms have been harvested fort eir e i e ud,
gesting that duration of the establishment phase is closer for their fiber, and most recently for horticultural purpos-
to 30 yr than to 60 yr, or not, is unclear given the small es. They are common in many habitats and may be dif-
number of seedlings involved. The size distribution of the ficult to eradicate when that is the goal of land managers.
cohort does suggest that slow-growing seedlings may The apparent discrepancy between their slow growth and
persist for a long time. their reputation as a common, and presumably, rapidly
Cabbage palms occur in many habitats over a range of regenerating species probably lies in the resistance of the
latitudes and the duration of its establishment phase may trunkless plants to disturbance imposed by various man-
vary with environmental conditions or with genetic vari- agement and harvesting practices. All direct uses of cab-
ation. Conditions in the coastal forest studied may be con- bage palm (for food, fiber, or horticultural purposes) tar-
sidered stressful for growth, marked by low light levels, get or targeted plants with an aboveground trunk. The
occasional drought, and periodic flooding by seawater dur- trunkless plants left on a site may be decades old; these
ing hurricanes and storm surges; these conditions may plants would serve as a temporary reserve for replacing
contribute to the slow growth rates observed. Growth of the removed trees. Given the duration of the trunkless
cabbage palms at more tropical latitudes may be more rap- stage of cabbage palms, re-establishing a stand of cab-
id than that found here: evidence suggests that growth of bage palms from seed may take several decades longer
genotypes from the northern part of the range may be than re-establishing a stand of trees from the population
slower than that of genotypes from the southern part of trunkless palms left on a site.
(Brown, 1976). tind_er idealu�rseryyconditions with in-
tense watering and fertilization, perms may _row fro LITERATURE CITED
see. to slants with inti•cent a.ove•roun. ste•. 's
'. Moyroud, Florida Atlantic University, personal corn- ANDERSON, A. B. 1983. The biology of Orbignya martiana (Palmae),
munication). Other anecdotal information suggests, how-
a tropical dry forest dominant in Brazil. Ph.D. dissertation, Uni-
versity of Florida, Gainesville,FL.
ever, that palms slanted in field situations have lon: es- ASH,J. 1988. Demography and production of Balaka microcarpa Bur-
ta. i ment p ases, even w en eld conditions appear fa- ret(Arecaceae),a tropical understory palm in Fiji.Australian Jour-
._wora I.-A cabba•e .alm .lantefi as a seed 's • • • -w nal of Botany 36: 67-80.
fr in a container and a further 15 yr in a yard in ATAROFF, M., AND T. SCHWARZKOPF. 1994. Vegetative growth in Cha-
Glen St. Mary, Flori a, under moderate light conditions maedorea bartlingiana. Principes 38: 24-32.
full midday sun) bemire producing an above•round trunk BROWN, K. E. 1976. Ecological studies of the cabbage palm, Sabal
( :rown, e ity ommunity College, Lake City,
palmetto. III. Seed germination and seedling establishment. Prin-
cipes 20: 98-115.
Florida, personal communication). Other cabbage palms, . 1982. Observations on the natural history of the cabbage palm,
planted in an open field with sandy soft had aboveground Saba!palmetto. Principes 26: 44-48.
trunks that were only 1 m tall after = 25 yr o growth (R. ENRIGHT, N.J., AND A. D. WATSON. 1992. Population dynamics of the
O communication). Because above nikau palm,Rhopalostylis sapida(Wendl.et Drude),in a temperate
ground stem elongation may be quite rapid under favors forest remnant near Auckland,New Zealand.New Zealand Journal
of Botany 30: 29-43.
• ble conditions (commonly 15 cm/yr; personal observa- OYAMA, K. 1990. Variation in growth and reproduction in the neotrop-
_ tion), it is likely that the palms were undergoing estab- ical dioecious palm Chamaedorea tepejilote. Journal of Ecology
lishment growth during most of these 25 yr. These obser- 78: 648-663.
•
1570 AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY [Vol. 83
PERRY,L.,AND K.WILLIAMS. 1996. Effects of salinity and flooding on SAVAGE,A. J. P., AND P. S. ASHTON. 1983..The population structure of
seedlings of cabbage palm(Sabal palmetto).Oecologia 105:428-434. the double coconut and some other Seychelles palms. Biotropica
PINERO, M., M. MARTINEZ-RAMOS, AND I. SARUKHAN. 1984. A popu- 15: 15-25.
lation model of Astrocaryum mexicanum and a sensitivity analysis VAN VALEN, L. 1975. Life, death, and energy of a tree. Biorropica 7:
of its finite rate of increase.Journal of Ecology 72: 977-991. 260-269.
I
ERRATUM
In the paper, "Asymptotic height as a predictor of growth and allometric characteristics in Malaysian rain forest
trees," by Sean C. Thomas (American Journal of Botany 83: 556-566) Eq. 2 was published incorrectly. Eq. 2 should
read:
H = Hmax[l - eI-aDb)].
1
•
•
http://gnv.tras.utl.edu...database.agy]vtx125.asc http:/ignv.ifas.ufl.edu:70/0gopher_root4%3a[database.agy]vt:125.asc
CABBAGE PALM — FLORIDA FILE SERIES VT-125
Catalog #: VT-1
Length: ) 4:20 minutes-7
Source: 'UF/IFAS 1994
Description: Florida's state tree, the cabbage palm, grows
in great profusion along Florida's west coast--or at least
they have up until now. Hundreds of thousands of cabbage palms
are dead and dying. What is the cause? What does this major
ecosystem change foretell?
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