Toward a Treatment of the Palmae for Flora Neotropica

新大陆已知有71属棕榈树，但只有约三分之一的棕榈属被广泛收集并在分类学上广为人知。这是不幸的，因为棕榈树是热带森林和稀树草原的重要组成部分，也被广泛用作农作物。纽约植物园的安德鲁·亨德森博士和迈克尔·巴利克博士正在南美洲进行野外工作，同时进行标本馆和实验室研究，以确定两个鲜为人知的属--Eurpe属和Prestoea属的物种组成和地理范围。Prestoea估计包含35种，而Eurpe包含大约10种；两者都广泛分布在中美洲和南美洲。Eurpe作为棕榈树“心脏”的来源，在经济上具有重要意义。它们的分类研究将基于花、果实、叶和茎的形态和解剖学分析。材料还将被送往康奈尔大学，由Doyle博士和Uhl博士对棕榈科及其进化进行分子研究。将在哥伦比亚植物学家Gloria Galeano-Garce博士的合作下进行实地工作。

There are 71 genera of palms known to occur in the New World, but only about one-third of these genera are well collected and well known taxonomically. This is unfortunate because palms are important components of tropical forests and savannas, and are also widely used as crops. Drs. Andrew Henderson and Michael Balick of the New York Botanical Garden are conducting field work in South America along with herbarium and laboratory studies to determine the species composition and geographical ranges of two poorly known genera, Euterpe and Prestoea. Prestoea contains an estimated 35 species, while Euterpe contains about ten; both are widely distributed in Central and South America. Euterpe is economically significant as a source of palm "hearts." Their taxonomic studies will be based on morphological and anatomical analyses of flowers, fruits, leaves, and stems. Material will also be sent to Cornell University for molecular studies by Drs. Doyle and Uhl on the palm family and its evolution. Field work will be conducted with the collaboration of the Colombian botanist, Dr. Gloria Galeano- Garces.