Sabinaria magnifica is a species of palm tree and the only member of the genus Sabinaria. Native to the Darién Gap on the border between Colombia and Panama, it grows from 1 to 6 metres (3 ft 3 in to 19 ft 8 in) tall with large, deeply-divided leaf blades. It has been described as "striking", "spectacular" and "beautiful" by taxonomists.
Although known by local mule drivers, it was first collected in April 2013 by Saúl Hoyos, and described scientifically by Colombian palm experts Gloria Galeano and Rodrigo Bernal who named the genus Sabinaria after their daughter. Despite being locally abundant, the limited range occupied by the species makes it vulnerable to habitat destruction.
Sabinaria magnifica is a single-stemmed palm tree with palmately-compound leaves. The trunk is 1–6 metres (3–20 ft) tall and 9–12 centimetres (4–5 in) in diameter. Leaves are borne at the end of a long petiole; the combined length of the leaf sheath and petiole averages 319 centimetres (126 in). Trees bear 20 to 35 leaves which are between 1.4 and 1.6 metres (5 and 5 ft) in diameter.[1]
The leaves of S. magnifica are deeply divided in two almost to the base of the leaf blade, giving a butterfly-like appearance.[2] They were described by British palm systematists William J. Baker and John Dransfield as "spectacular" and the most distinctive character of the genus.[3]
Unlike other members of the tribe Cryosophileae (which tend to have bisexual flowers), S. magnifica is monoecious—it produces both male and female flowers. The male flowers are borne on the ends of the inflorescence while the female flowers are closer to the base and are surrounded by large bracts.[2] The inflorescences are borne between the leaves on a peduncle that is at least 30 centimetres (12 in) long. The flowers are whitish; male flowers are 4–5 millimetres (0.16–0.20 in) long and 3–3.5 millimetres (0.12–0.14 in) wide, while the female flowers are 7–11 millimetres (0.28–0.43 in) long and about 2.5 millimetres (0.1 in) wide. The immature fruit are green and become yellowish-green as they mature. The ripe fruit are black. They are about 3.6–4.4 centimetres (1.4–1.7 in) long and 3–3.6 centimetres (1.2–1.4 in) wide. The seeds are 2.4–2.7 centimetres (0.94–1.06 in) long and 2.2–2.3 centimetres (0.87–0.91 in) wide.[1]
Although known by local mule drivers, the species was first collected by Saúl Hoyos, a Colombian botanist, in April 2013. Hoyos sent pictures of it to palm systematist Rodrigo Bernal. Based on the pictures, Bernal concluded that the palm was probably a new species in the Cryosophileae, and possibly an entirely new genus. This opinion that was shared by Bernal's partner and collaborator Gloria Galeano who described it as "the most beautiful of all Colombian palms".[2]