Phylologia (Apnl 1998) 84(4):307-3:7. NOMENCLATURAL AND TAXONOMIC NOTES ON COSTA RICAN PALMS (ARECACEAE), WITH FIVE NEW SPECIES Michael H. Grayum Missouri Botanical Garden, P.O. Box 299, St. Louis, Missouri 63166 U.S.A. ABSTRACT Five new species of Arecaceae, all apparently endemic, are described from Costa Rica: Bactris polystachya H. Wendl. ex Grayum, Calyptrogyne herrerae Grayum, Chamaedorea hodelii Grayum, Geonoma brenesii Grayum, and Geonoma talamancana Grayum. The obscure and much-abused name Chamaedorea graminifolia H. Wendl. is applied to a rare Costa Rican species; Chamaedorea schippii Burret, based on a Belizean collection, is removed from the synonymy of C graminifolia, and the description of the latter species is amended accordingly. Chamaedorea coralliformis Hodel and C. crucensis Hodel are shown to be synonymous; C. crucensis has priority, and thus becomes the accepted name. The prevailing application of the name Chamaedorea zamorae Hodel, to an orange-fruited species of the Pacific lowlands of Costa Rica, is upheld. A key to the Costa Rican and Panamanian species of Chamaedorea subgen. Stephanostachys with spicate inflorescences is provided. The name Desmoncus costaricensis (Kuntze) Burret is interpreted as applying to the rarer of two Desmoncus spp. occurring on the Atlantic slope of Costa Rica, and its basionym {Atitara costaricensis Kuntze) is epitypified. The name Desmoncus schippii Burret is accepted for the second, more common species, and full synonymy is provided. The authorship of the name Elaeis oleifera (Kunth) Cortes is retained as such. KEYWORDS: Arecaceae, Calyptrogyne, Chamaedorea, Desmoncus, Elaeis, Geonoma, Palmae, Costa Rica, systematics Work toward a treatment of the palm family (Arecaceae) for Costa Rica has uncovered five species new to science, in four genera. These novelties are here published, for use in several upcoming regional floras. At the same time, several other miscellaneous nomenclatural and taxonomic problems are resolved. 307
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