As Juania and Paschalococos show, the conservation
status is critical on most islands. These environments are in most
cases more fragile than their mainland counterparts. Life forms
from continental areas are usually more competitive and less specialized
than the island dwellers; islands host evolutionary deliriums, exceedingly
curious species which would make no sense on the mainland. Islander
palms reflect this trend and "absurd" freaks are found
amongst them; weirdness seems to be the rule: Bottle palms from
the Mascarenes (Hyophorbe), the Caribbean belly palms (Gastrococos,
Pseudophoenix, Colpothrinax and some Coccothrinax spp.), the triangle
palm from Southern Madagascar (Dypsis decaryi), and the overwhelmingly
interesting double coconut of the Seychelles (Lodoicea), which produces
the biggest and heaviest (up to 18 kg) seeds of the plant kingdom.
The major threat on islands, after habitat destruction, are the
free-roaming introduced domestic animals. Pigs, goats, chickens,
and cattle have been selected by man to forage on whatever is edible
and they will never be finicky about a good palm leaf.
One of the many dramatic examples comes from the
Caribbean. The wild stands of the tall Thatch Palm Coccothrinax
barbadensis in Antigua (Lesser Antilles) have been destroyed by
cattle, which ate the leaves of most seedlings and saplings. The
only reproducing population on that island is found in the old cemetery
of the island and the adjoining garden of the small cathedral. These
two plots were the only sacred territories of the island and therefore
prohibited to cattle. In this case a small and inexpensive fence
would be enough to shelter a wider area and allow the population
to expand.
Paschalococos and the Disappearing Palms
