John Dransfield

Premise: Although the megafossil flora of the upper Albian–lower Cenomanian Dakota Formation in Kansas is well known for angiosperms, monocots have not been reported previously. Methods: A mesofossil flower was discovered by X‐ray analysis of a specimen collected more than a century ago from the Dakota Sandstone of central Kansas. A mid‐Cretaceous (ca. 100 Ma) age is inferred from its stratigraphic provenance close to the Albian–Cenomanian boundary. Successive virtual transverse and longitudinal sections and a three‐dimensional rendering generated from micro‐CT scanning facilitate recognition of the floral parts and their organization. Results: The flower is about 1.5 mm high and 1.2 mm in diameter, is actinomorphic and borne on a slender pedicel, and possesses three free sepals alternating with three free, coriaceous petals and six stamens in two whorls, one opposite the petals, and the other opposite the sepals. The gynoecium consists of three apocarpous, flask‐shaped carpels, each with a ventral apical stigmatic groove. Conclusions: This flower, which we name Tomlinsoniella pedicellata gen. et sp. nov., constitutes the first mesofossil evidence for monocots in the Dakota Formation. Importantly, it also appears to be the earliest unequivocal fossil evidence for the appearance of the trimerous‐pentacyclic floral plan typical of many monocots. Among extant monocots, this combination of characters is most consistent with the coryphoid palm lineage, although the fossil could also belong to an extinct monocot clade. If correct, this represents the earliest known mesofossil record of a commelinid monocot.

Chrysalidocarpus is the second-largest genus in Arecaceae subtribe Dypsidinae, comprising 60 species distributed across Madagascar, the Comoro Archipelago, and Pemba Island. Since 2022, five new species have been described from cultivation and here we describe and illustrate two more new species, C. comptus and C. marcusorum, based on specimens cultivated in Hawai’i.

The palm family (Arecaceae) has a rich history of phylogenetic research, including several recent phylogenomic studies. However, densely sampled phylogenomic datasets for larger palm clades – such as subfamilies – are still few in number. We used target sequence capture to obtain data for 971 nuclear genes across 421 (ca. 80%) species in the subfamily Coryphoideae. We inferred a robust phylogenetic tree to address systematic issues in the subfamily, specifically the relationships among tribes Cryosophileae, Sabaleae, Phoeniceae and Trachycarpeae, the affinities of seven genera in Trachycarpeae that are not currently assigned to any subtribe, and the monophyly of genera across the subfamily. We recovered relationships among tribes that are in accordance with other major nuclear phylogenomic datasets, but that are incongruent with trees derived from plastome sequences. Importantly, the placement of tribe Phoeniceae (the date palms) remains contentious. Our tree recovered with high support the relationship of all unplaced Trachycarpeae genera, paving the way for an updated classification. Most genera were resolved as monophyletic except for Livistona and all three genera of tribe Caryoteae, calling for a revision of generic limits. Our tree clarifies the relationships of many fan palm species for the first time, allowing for future studies of diversification, trait evolution or biogeography.

Distributed across two continents and thousands of islands, the Asian tropics are among the most species-rich areas on Earth. The origins of this diversity, however, remain poorly understood. Here, we reveal and classify contributions of individual tropical Asian regions to their overall diversity by leveraging species-level phylogenomic data and new fossils from the most species-rich Asian palm lineage, the rattans and relatives (Arecaceae, Calamoideae). Radiators (Borneo) generate and distribute diversity, incubators (Indochina, New Guinea, and Sulawesi) produce diversity in isolation, corridors (Java, Maluku, Sumatra, and the Thai-Malay Peninsula) connect neighboring regions, and accumulators (Australia, India, Palawan, and the Philippines) acquire diversity generated elsewhere. These contrasting contributions can be explained by differences in region size and isolation, elucidating how the unique island-dominated geography of the Asian tropics drives their outstanding biodiversity.

A genus and species of palm from the Truong Son Range in Vietnam, Truongsonia lecongkietii, is described as new to science. Phylogenomic analysis strongly supports the placement of the new taxon in subfamily Arecoideae as sister to the African endemic tribe Podococceae, which comprises a single genus Podococcus. A new tribe Truongsonieae is also described to accommodate Truongsonia in the current phylogenetic classification of palms. Truongsonia is a dwarf, acaulescent, clump-forming palm bearing entire, bifid leaves with a fibre-like extension of the rachis through the sinus of the two lobes of the leaf. The interfoliar inflorescence is exserted on a long peduncle with 3­–4 tightly sheathing peduncular bracts and rachillae presented at the apex only. The ovary is triovulate-tricarpellate, but fruits are single-seeded. Truongsonia is Critically Endangered, with surveys locating only 10–15 plants in the wild. Swift conservation action is required to secure the future of this remarkable and phylogenetically isolated lineage of palms.

Throughout SE Asia, palms are important in agroforestry systems and homegardens. Most species are used for multiple purposes based on both physical and nutritional properties of the palms. Except for a few commodities of worldwide importance such as palm oil and coconut, many palm products either do not figure in trade statistics, or they are merged with other products in a way, which makes it difficult to assess their importance. Here we focus on these products that are not prominent in national trade statistics and we review their sustainability and economic importance in SE Asia. We rank the most important palms according to their versatility, which is an extremely important property, especially for smallholders who practice subsistence agriculture. We conclude by listing a number of recommendations for future research directions based on experiences from the recently completed EU 7th Framework project (EU-PALMS 2009-2013).

The rattan genus Calamus, the largest genus of palms (Arecaceae or Palmae), is poorly known in New Guinea. In preparation for a monograph of Calamus in New Guinea, we describe and illustrate fourteen new species here: Calamus badius, C. barfodii, C. bulubabi, C. cheirophyllus, C. croftii, C. johnsii, C. lucysmithiae, C. nanduensis, C. oresbius, C. retroflexus, C. sashae, C. spanostachys, C. spiculiferus and C. womersleyi. Although many appear to be rather rare, several are widespread, common species and some are of considerable use to local people. These new discoveries highlight the need for further studies of palms in eastern Malesia, especially New Guinea.