Dominican botanists have confirmed the discovery of a new palm tree species in Lake Enriquillo, in the southwest of the country. National Botanical Gardens director Ricardo Garcia and president of the Academy of Sciences Milciades Mejia say the finding was only confirmed after 26 years of research. The new palm tree is to be known as “Coccothrinax jimenezii”.
Garcia and Mejia say that the initial discovery was made in 1986 when the plant was originally found in a remote region in the Bay of Gonaives in Haiti. Research continued for nearly three decades and in March 2012 the plant was validated as a new species. In the search for the plant on this side of the island, it was found on the shores of Lake Enriquillo, between Neiba and La Descubierta. It can be seen on the Postrer Rio-La Descubierta road stretch.
The plant was named after Dominican botanist Francisco Jimenez Rodriguez, at the time director of the National Botanical Garden.
Mejia said it is uncommon to identify new species in large plants.
The new species was formally announced on Wednesday, 21 August at a ceremony held at the Botanical Gardens. The Botanical Gardens has a collection of palm trees from Hispaniola Island.
The “Coccothrinax jimenezii is a thin palm that can measure up to five meters high and its trunk can be four to six inches in diameter, as described in the “Moscosa” journal published by the Botanical Gardens. Its fruit is purple-colored when ripe and flowers in June and July.
Mejia, a former director of the National Botanical Gardens himself, called for more government support for scientific research.
www.diariolibre.com/ecos/2013/08/30/i400189_nueva-especie-palma-fue-hallada-lago-enriquillo.html