Pritchardia thurstonii
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Pritchardia thurstonii habit with inflorescences (Starr Image 061106). Photograph courtesy of Forest & Kim Starr, starrimages@hear.org |
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Pritchardia thurstonii young plant in container. (Starr Image 080103). Photograph courtesy of Forest & Kim Starr, starrimages@hear.org |
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Pritchardia thurstonii fruit. (Starr Image 061106). Photograph courtesy of Forest & Kim Starr, starrimages@hear.org |
Common name
thurston palm
Description
Stem: Solitary, upright stems to 8 m tall and up to 20 cm in diameter, often spreading slightly at the base, brown or dark gray in color, with vertical fissures and narrow rings of 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)
scars. 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.
, 2-3 m across, undulate, forming a semi-circle, divided into stiff, single-fold segments usually no more than one-half 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 erect, 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 bright green with a thin waxy coating. The undersurface of the blade is marked by whitish scales in parallel lines, and the petiole and abaxialabaxial:
away from or the side of an organ facing away from the axis (<strong>ab </strong>as in <strong>ab</strong>andon); for example, the lower surface of a leaf blade or petiole
midribs are covered with gray or whitish wooly tomentumtomentum:
a covering of closely matted or fine hairs on plant leaves
. 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 breaks down into a mass of tawny fibers. The petiole is smooth and unarmed. Flowers and fruit: Inflorescences to 2 m long with single panicles of yellow flowers, branched to two or three orders, extending well below 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)
canopy when in fruit. Fruits spherical, red, and 64 mm in diameter.
Diagnostic features
Field: Inflorescences to 2 m long with single panicles of yellow flowers, branched to two or three orders, extending well below 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)
canopy when in fruit. The undersurface of the blade is marked by whitish scales in parallel lines.
Distribution
Native to Fiji
Scientific name
Pritchardia thurstonii F.Muell. & Drude
Family
Arecaceae/Palmae
Synonyms
Eupritchardia thurstonii Kuntze
Styloma thurstonii O.F.Cook
Washingtonia thurstonii Kuntze
