Ptychosperma macarthurii (Veitch) Hook.F.

Macarthur palm (en), Palmier de Mac Arthur (fr), Palmier bambou (fr)

Species

Angiosperms > Arecales > Arecaceae > Ptychosperma

Characteristics

An evergreen clustering palm. It grows to 3-10 m high and spreads to 2-4 m across. The stems are erect, slender and form clumps. They have rings of scars on the trunk. The leaves are dark green and divided along the stalk. They are 1-1.5 m long. They are feather like. The leaves arch in a loose crown. The leaflets are narrow, bright green and with ragged teeth near the tips. The flowers are in branching sprays 30-45 cm long. These come from below the crown-shaft. The flowers are greenish-yellow and 8 mm across. The fruit are bright red berries. They are 1.5 cm across. They are waxy. The fruit contains a seed which has 5 ridges along its length.
More
Clustering palm to 10 m tall; trunk to 10 cm diam. Leaves 3–12, to 3 m long; leaf sheath to 70 cm long, green with moderate whitish tomentum, and dark scales aggregated at apex and on base of petiole. Pinnae 15–40 each side of rachis, to 56 cm long, regularly or irregularly arranged, or clustered, green adaxially, lighter green abaxially. Inflorescence to 45 cm long; axes yellowish green with sparse tomentum; rachillae semi-pendulous, flexuose; rameal bracts triangular, to 10 cm long. Staminate flower to 8 mm long, to 4 mm diam.; stamens 23–40. Fruit ovoid, to 18 mm long, to 12 mm diam., red; endosperm homogeneous.
Stems clustereding. 2n = 32.
Life form perennial
Growth form tree
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality -
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) 2.0 - 4.0
Mature height (meter) 6.5 - 10.0
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

It is a tropical plant. It does best in moist, well-composted, well-drained soils. It needs a protected, partly shaded position. It grows in evergreen monsoon vine forest. It is normally near permanent springs and on rich organic soils. It is damaged by drought and frost. It needs a temperature above 16°C. In full sunlight the fronds can become bleached. In the Cairns Botanical Gardens. It suits hardiness zones 10-11. Mt Cootha Botanical Gardens. In Townsville palmetum.
More
Grows at 0–400 m alt. on various soil types in rainforest, monsoon and littoral forest.
Light 4-6
Soil humidity 3-7
Soil texture 3-4
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 9-11

Usage

The central bud or cabbage is eaten.
Uses environmental use food material poison
Edible -
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Plants are grown from seed. Seed germinate in 2-3 months. It planted fresh in moist peat and with warmth and humidity seed germinate easily and quickly. Plants can also be grown by division of the clump. Young plants need protection from excessive sun.
Mode seedlings
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) -
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) 1
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Ptychosperma macarthurii unspecified picture

Distribution

Ptychosperma macarthurii world distribution map, present in Australia, Brazil, Dominica, Fiji, and Panama

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:55245-3
WFO ID wfo-0000288809
COL ID 6WMXB
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID 447770
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Ptychosperma hospitum Ptychosperma julianettii Saguaster macarthurii Kentia macarthurii Ptychosperma bleeseri Ptychosperma macarthurii Actinophloeus bleeseri Actinophloeus hospitus Actinophloeus macarthurii Carpentaria bleeseri Actinophloeus macarthurii var. hospitus