Necklace Palm

The catalog name *Chamaedorea tenella* is used for a small palm documented in Costa Rican forest collections. The [Flora de Costa Rica account hosted by Missouri Botanical Garden and INBio](https://www.mobot.org/Manual.Plantas/042861/S043295.html) describes solitary plants with glossy leaves and orange-toned inflorescence axes. Taxonomic treatments differ: [Kew’s Plants of the World Online](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/274418-2) treats Chamaedorea tenella as a synonym of Chamaedorea geonomiformis, while other checklist treatments have accepted Chamaedorea tenella. ## Form and foliage Flora de Costa Rica field observations report plants about 0.5–1.8 m tall, glossy leaf surfaces, and a midrib that can appear paler beneath. These are specimen observations rather than a guaranteed cultivated mature size. The records describe solitary plants at the sites documented, so a dense clumping habit should not be assumed. ## Habitat and placement The Costa Rican records place the palm in primary forest, including ridge sites in the southern Pacific region. A protected, warm understory with filtered light is a cautious garden analogue; the records do not establish exact irrigation or cold-hardiness thresholds. Tropical provenance should not be converted directly into a USDA zone. ## Flowers and fruit The field records note orange coloration on the inflorescence stalk. One specimen has purple mature fruit, while other records show immature green fruit. ## Maintenance Keep it sheltered from frost and harsh direct sun, with evenly available moisture and free drainage. Monitor growth and adjust watering to local conditions while species-level cultivation information remains limited.