Livistona lorophylla Becc., Webbia 5: 18 (1921)

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Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Northern Territory present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Western Australia present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Australia. Kimberley region of Western Australia, from Sir Graham Moore Is. to Sale R. and Cambridge Gulf, and inland to the King Leopold and Durack Ranges, and just within Northern Territory in the Victoria R. area. (Dowe, J.L.: A taxonomic account of Livistona R.Br. (Arecaceae))A

Habitat

  • Grows in open forest and woodlands, and on sandstone outcrops and gorges, 10-300 m alt. Flowers Aug-Dec; fruits Dec-July. (Dowe, J.L.: A taxonomic account of Livistona R.Br. (Arecaceae))A

Discussion

  • Livistona lorophylla was described by Beccari (1921) based on Johnston s.n. collected at Cambridge Gulf, Western Australia, and named for the resemblance of the leaf segments to leather straps. Livistona kimberleyana was described by Rodd (1998) based on Rodd 2866 collected from Mt King, Western Australia. This taxon was distinguished from L. lorophylla primarily by grey pruinose rather than green leaves. However, in some populations individuals exhibit intermediate leaf colour. As noted by Rodd: ?? It is possible even that further study may show it to represent an arid race of L. lorophylla, but for the meantime it seems preferable to treat it as a distinct species.? Other than leaf colour, there are no other characters to distinguish the taxa and L. kimberleyana is therefore placed as a synonym of L. lorophylla. The original spelling provided by Beccari (1921) was L. loriphylla. This was corrected to L. lorophylla by Rodd (1998). Some populations now regarded as L. lorophylla had previously been assigned to other taxa. Fitzgerald (1918) misidentified it as L. alfredii, occurring in the King Leopold and Durack Ranges (= Rodd?s L. kimberleyana), hile Gardner (1923) noted it at the same locations, also under L. alfredii, as well as throughout the presently known distribution of L. lorophylla throughout the Kimberleys. Gardner (1930) also referred to L. lorophylla as L. inermis in a later systematic account. Conversely, some populations of L. inermis in the Northern Territory have been incorrectly named as L. lorophylla (Chippendale, 1972). Livistona lorophylla is a moderate sub-canopy to canopy palm to 15 m tall; leaves are small and regularly segmented; segment apices are semi-pendulous, and with a bifurcate cleft to 78% of the segment length; petiole margins are strongly spined in the basal portion; the inflorescence is unbranched, not extending beyond the limit of the crown, and with up to 8 partial inflorescences; bracts are loosely tubular; flowers are cream; fruit are obovoid to pyriform, to 14 mm long to 9 mm wide, and pruinose dull black at maturity. (Dowe, J.L.: A taxonomic account of Livistona R.Br. (Arecaceae))A

Conservation

  • Least concern. (Dowe, J.L.: A taxonomic account of Livistona R.Br. (Arecaceae))A

Description

  • Functionally dioecious palm. Trunk to 15 m tall, 8-20 cm dbh, leaf scars raised, internodes narrow, grey, persistent petiole stubs in the lower portion only. Leaves 25-40 in a globose crown; petiole arching, 70-200 cm long, 10-17 mm wide, adaxially flat, margins with scattered single curved black spines up to ca 10 mm long; leaf-base fibres moderately prominent, coarse, persistent; lamina costapalmate, regularly segmented, circular, 60-100 cm long, coriaceous, glossy mid green to pruinose grey on both surfaces; lamina divided for 85-98% of its length, with 34-50 segments, depth of apical cleft 55-78% of the segment length, apical lobes acuminate to filiform, semi-pendulous; parallel veins 8-10 each side of midrib; transverse veins thinner than parallel veins. Inflorescence unbranched at the base, not sexually dimorphic, 20-160 cm long, not extending beyond the limit of the crown, branched to 3 orders; partial inflorescences 4-8; prophyll not seen; peduncular bract 1; rachis bracts loosely tubular, sparsely tomentose; rachillae 1-6 cm long, glabrous. Flowers solitary or in clusters of 2-4, broadly funnel-shaped, 1.2-3 mm long, cream; sepals triangular, 0.7-1.8 mm long, membranous, acute; petals triangular to broadly ovate, 1.2-3 mm long, acute to cuspidate, cream; stamens ca 1.6 mm long. Fruit obovoid to pyriform, 8-14 mm long, 6-9 mm diam., pruinose dull black; epicarp with scattered lenticellular pores; mesocarp thin, fibrous; endocarp thin, crustaceous. Seed ellipsoid, 7-9 mm long. Eophyll not seen. (Dowe, J.L.: A taxonomic account of Livistona R.Br. (Arecaceae))A

Materials Examined

  • Specimens examined: AUSTRALIA: Western Australia. S slopes of Sir Graham Moore Is. facing the Geranium Islands, Willing 293 (PERTH); Sir Graham Moore Is., 13º56'S, 126º33'E, Wilson 11222 (PERTH); Stewart R., ca 68 km NNE of Derby, 14 km from Kimbolton Stn, Telford 6404 with Butler (CBG, NSW, PERTH); North Kimberley, Speck 4916 (CANB, PERTH); Kalumburu, Crawford 58 (PERTH); ca 3 km ESE of Kalumburu Mission, Rodd 2871 (BH, K, NSW, PERTH); 19 km W of Cape Rulhiers, 13º56'05''S, 127º11'10"E, Kenneally 10145 (PERTH); Kalumburu Mission, Brigden DNA6885 (CANB); Kalumburu, 18 Jan 1975, Lullfitz s.n. (PERTH); Kalumburu, 3 Jul 1960, Douglas & Mees s.n. (PERTH); 190 km W of Wyndham, Gibb R.-Kalumburu MissionRd, 1.5 km S of Doongan R., Beauglehole 51787 (PERTH); Cambridge Gulf, 1885, Johnston s.n. (FI holotype, NSW, MEL); Mitchell Plateau, N of mining camp, Beauglehole 59046 with Errey 2746 (PERTH); Drysdale R. NP, Fern Gully, 14º39'S, 126º57'E, Kenneally 4557 (PERTH); Drysdale R. NP, 14º40'S, 123º00'E, George 13758 (PERTH, NSW); Drysdale R. NP, Planigale Ck, 14º43'S, 126º54'E, Kenneally 4447 (PERTH); Drysdale R. NP, Cracticus Falls, 14º47'S, 127º05'E, Kenneally 4153 (PERTH, NSW); Drysdale R. NP, Carson Escarpment Plateau, 2 km N of Face Point (at Laryoo), 14º50'30"S, 126º48'230", 240 m alt., Forbes 2341S (MEL); Brunswick Bay, Unwins Is., 15º08?S, 124º48?E, Wilson 11450 (PERTH); West Kimberleys, upper reaches of Roe R., 15º12'S, 125º32'E, Kenneally 9991 (PERTH); Prince Regent R. Reserve, Marigui Promontory, 15º20'S, 124º56'E, Kenneally 2162 (NSW, PERTH); King Leopold Ranges, Sale R. 29.2 km WSW of Mt French, 15º59'15?", 124º38'30"E, Alford 1402 (PERTH); Chamberlain R. Gorge, 7 km W of El Questro Stn Homestead, 16º00'S, 127º55'E, Kenneally 10978 (PERTH, NSW); El Questro Stn, Cambridge Gulf, 100 m E of Pentecost R., Dowe 362 (BRI, FTG); Sale R., 15.5 km W of Mt Lochee, 16º04'S, 124º45'45"E, 80 m alt., Kenneally 10464 (PERTH); West Kimberleys, gorge of unnamed creek running W of Sale R. 30 km ESE of mountain, Kenneally 9652 (PERTH); West Kimberleys, 6.5 km NW of Kimbolton Homestead on mid Stewart R., 16º41'S, 123º50'E, Hastings B2 (PERTH); West Kimberley, 1901, House s.n. (PERTH); Kimberleys, 54.7 km SW of turnoff to Beverley Springs Homestead, Gibb R. Rd, Kenneally 9793A (PERTH); King Leopold Ranges, 2 km W of March Fly Glen towards Derby on Gibb R. Rd near Mt Bell, 17º10'S, 125º17'E, Hastings 1 (PERTH); Teroni Gorge, 12 miles NNW of Elgie Cliffs Stn, Lazarides 6453 (CANB); King Leopold Ranges, 26 km NE of Inglis Gap, 17º12'S, 125º32'E, Dowe 356, 357 & 358 (BRI, JCT); SW base of Mt King, Durack Ra., Rodd 2867 & 2868 (CANB, K, NSW, PERTH, QRS); King Leopold Ranges, Lenard R. Gorge, ca 130 km ENE of Derby, Carr 3978 & Beauglehole 47756 (PERTH); King Leopold Ranges, Mt Herbert, May 1905, Fitzgerald s.n. (PERTH); King Leopold Ranges, 11 miles NE of Inglis Gap, Maconochie 1296 (L); ca 26 km NE of Inglis Gap, Symon 10154 (NSW); Durack Ra., SW base of Mt King, Rodd 2866 (CANB, K, NSW, PERTH); Mt Broome, Fitzgerald 815 (PERTH); Mt Leake, Fitzgerald 1206 (PERTH). Northern Territory. Victoria R. area, 15º16'S, 129º35'E, Dunlop 8203 & Leach (NSW). (Dowe, J.L.: A taxonomic account of Livistona R.Br. (Arecaceae))A

Bibliography

    A. Dowe, J.L.: A taxonomic account of Livistona R.Br. (Arecaceae)
    B. World Checklist of Arecaceae