The Cuban Petticoat Palm Tree (Copernicia macroglossa) is endemic to western and central Cuba; it has a solitary trunk that reaches a height of about nine meters. A protruding inflorescence appears in summer.
Male and female flowers are on separate plants. The female plant bears oval black berries. It is propagated by seeds, which take about two months to germinate. However, the unique feature of this palm is its fan-shaped leaves that have no petioles. If not removed, dry old leaves form a “petticoat” giving them palm a “dressed” appearance, hence the name Cuban Petticoat Palm Tree.
This truly unique palm tree is also the favorite ornamental plant of many growers, who have made of this plant their center of attention and conversation. Therefore, it makes sense that it has been named after Copernicus, the Polish astronomer that regarded the Sun as the center of the universe. The second element of the name (macroglossa) is of Greek origin and means large tongue, presumably because of the long, wide leaves of the adult palm.
In April 2010, researchers from the Coastal Ecosystems Research Center (Cuba) made the first report of the species for Cayo Caguamas, in the Jardines de la Reina National Park. Individuals were georeferenced and the distance from the shoreline was measured. Samples were collected and taken to the herbarium for the species identification.
The first sighting of the species had taken place in the western portion of Cayo Caguamas in June, 2005. Another individual was sighted in further trips to the area. Two individuals have been eventually counted (an adult and a juvenile), at a distance of 89 meters from the shoreline.
This is the first report for a coastal ecosystem with geological features different from the serpentinite rock regions and the silica sand regions where the species had previously been reported. With this report, the distribution of the species is enlarged and more information on its ecological plasticity can be gathered. New sightings can be expected in future expeditions to the area, then conservation status of the species will be assessed.
The stony coral species identified in the submerged roots of mangrove are also present in the coral reefs of the Jardines de la Reina National Park. This is not the same for other groups of organisms occurring in this habitat. In the case of sponges, for instance, only some species can also be found in the Jardines de la Reina reefs. It also happens with macroalgae as some species are typical of the mangrove ecosystems, but due to the high biodiversity, the same species may be found in both ecosystems.
The stony coral Sea ginger has also been found in the mangrove forests of La Leña keys, in the western province of Pinar del Rio. In the Jardines de la Reina National Park, only a few flat colonies of the Mustard hill coral have previously been reported.
The occurrence of stony corals in the underwater roots of mangroves is apparently associated to the presence of crustose coralline algae, besides the physical factors of every mangrove area. Mangroves are not only habitat to many fish, crustacean and mollusk species but to important sessile organisms as well.