Bismarckia nobilis
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Bismarckia nobilis in the landscape. Photograph courtesy of Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, Guide to Palms http://palmguide.org/index.php |
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Bismarckia nobilis stem of young palm with persistent leaf bases attached |
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Bismarckia nobilis interfold leaf fibers |
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Bismarckia nobilis leaf of young palm |
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Bismarckia nobilis cinnamon-colored floccose indumentum |
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Bismarckia nobilis leaf tip |
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Bismarckia nobilis somewhat asymmetrical adaxial hastula |
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Bismarckia nobilis abaxial leaf surface, costa |
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Bismarckia nobilis inflorescence. Photograph courtesy of Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, Guide to Palms http://palmguide.org/index.php |
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Bismarckia nobilis fruit. Photograph courtesy of Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, Guide to Palms http://palmguide.org/index.php |
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Bismarckia nobilis fruit (above) and seed (below). Photograph courtesy of Mariana P. Beckman, DPI |
Common name
bismarck palm
Description
Stem: Solitary, upright stems to 20 m tall and up to 35-45 cm in diameter, bulging at the base of the stem, covered with remnants of old leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
bases in young palms, then with irregular leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
scar rings and vertical fissures on a gray background in older ones. Leaves: Costapalmatecostapalmate:
a fan-shaped leaf with a midrib (costa) extending into the blade, sometimes extending far enough into the blade to cause it to curve (e.g., <em>Sabal palmetto</em>)
, induplicateinduplicate:
Most palm leaflets or leaf segments are obviously folded. If the folds create a V-shape, with the midrib lower than the margins (so that rain might fall "into a valley"), the folding is induplicate.
, up to 3 m across, divided into stiff, single-fold segments about 1/3 the length of the leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
blade, with bifidbifid:
deeply cleft into two usually equal parts or two-lobed from the apex; for example, palms with bifid leaves or leaflet tips (e.g., <em>Chamaedorea metallica</em> has bifid leaves)
leaf segment tips. The leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
color is a distinctive pale silvery blue to blue-green with a heavy white waxy coating and feathery, deciduous, cinnamon-colored scales. The leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
sheath splits to form a V-shape below the petiole, the petiole is smooth and sharp-edged or armed with minute teeth (to 1 mm long) along the margin, and the hastulahastula:
a flange or collar-like flap of tissue extending from the petiole where a palmate leaf blade joins it; often seen on the upper (adaxial) surface, but may also be found on the lower (abaxial) surface in some palms
is a spoon-shaped, asymmetrical flap. Flowers and fruit: Staminatestaminate:
a flower bearing stamens but no pistils; a “male” flower
and pistillatepistillate:
a flower bearing a pistil but no stamens; a “female” flower
flowers grow on separate palms. Inflorescences can be over 1 m long with thick, catkin-like branches. Fruits are oblong, ovoid, or spherical and chocolate-brown in color (with some lighter brown mottling). Seeds are ridged and grooved.
Diagnostic features
Field: Solitary palm with waxy blue-green costapalmatecostapalmate:
a fan-shaped leaf with a midrib (costa) extending into the blade, sometimes extending far enough into the blade to cause it to curve (e.g., <em>Sabal palmetto</em>)
leaves and feathery, cinnamon-colored scales.
May be confused with
Latania loddigesii is also a solitary, erect palm with waxy, blue-green costapalmatecostapalmate:
a fan-shaped leaf with a midrib (costa) extending into the blade, sometimes extending far enough into the blade to cause it to curve (e.g., <em>Sabal palmetto</em>)
leaves, but its hastulahastula:
a flange or collar-like flap of tissue extending from the petiole where a palmate leaf blade joins it; often seen on the upper (adaxial) surface, but may also be found on the lower (abaxial) surface in some palms
is triangular or arrow-shaped, not like the assymetrical spoon-shaped hastulahastula:
a flange or collar-like flap of tissue extending from the petiole where a palmate leaf blade joins it; often seen on the upper (adaxial) surface, but may also be found on the lower (abaxial) surface in some palms
found on Bismarckia nobilis. The wooly scales on the underside of Latania loddigesii leaves are pale, not dark cinnamon-colored as in Bismarckia nobilis, and the seeds of Latania are enclosed in sculpted pyrenes, unlike those of Bismarckia.
Distribution
Native to Madagascar
Additional comments
This is a beautiful palm that can be a striking, but eventually very large, addition to the landscape.
Scientific name
Bismarckia nobilis Hildebr. & Wendl.
Family
Arecaceae/Palmae
Synonyms
Medemia nobilis ( Hildebr. & H.Wendl. ) Gallerand
