[Monthly changes in caloric values of five shrubby Palmae species leaves]

Studies on the monthly changes in the ash contents and caloric values of 5 shrubby Palmae species (Chamaerops humilis, Rhapis gracilis, Sabal minor, Chamaedorea cataractarum, Chamaedorea brachypoda) leaves showed that annual average ash content of the five shrubby species was 4.87% +/- 1.37% for Chamaerops humilis, 8.33% +/- 0.89% for Rhapis gracilis, 7.85% +/- 2.64% for Sabal minor, 9.20% +/- 1.35% for Chamaedorea cataractarum, and 12.42% +/- 1.78% for Chamaedorea brachypoda. The monthly changes of gross caloric value were different for Chamaerops humilis, Rhapis gracilis and Sabal minor, but similar to each other for Chamaedorea cataractarum and Chamaedorea brachypoda, and the annual average gross caloric value of the five shrubby species was 20.50 +/- 0.32 kJ x g(-1) for Chamaerops humilis, 20.04 +/- 0.50 kJ x g(-1) for Rhapis gracilis, 20.21 +/- 0.68 kJ x g(-1) for Sabal minor, 20.52 +/- 0.48 kJ x g(-1) for Chamaedorea cataractarum and 18.90 +/- 0.47 kJ x g(-1) for Chamaedorea brachypoda. The gross caloric values were correlated remarkably with ash contents for Chamaedorea cataractarum and Sabal minor (P < 0.05), but there was no significant correlation between gross caloric values and ash contents for other three species (P > 0.05). Rhapis gracilis and Sabal minor, and Chamaedorea cataractarum and Chamaedorea brachypoda had similar monthly changes in ash free caloric values, respectively. The average ash free caloric value of the five shrubby species was 21.55 +/- 0.53 kJ x g(-1) for Chamaerops humilis, 21.87 +/- 0.46 kJ x g(-1) for Rhapis gracilis, 21.84 +/- 0.53 kJ x g(-1) for Sabal minor, 22.60 +/- 0.81 kJ x g(-1) for Chamaedorea cataractarum, and 21.59 +/- 0.63 kJ x g(-1) for Chamaedorea brachypoda. Chamaedorea cataractarum had a higher ash free caloric value than other four species (P < 0.05), and the ash free caloric values of Chamaerops humilis, Rhapis gracilis, Sabal minor and Chamaedorea brachypoda were similar, the differences being not significant by t test (P > 0.05).