Livistona fulva Rodd, Telopea 8: 103 (1998)

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Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Queensland present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Australia. Queensland. Endemic to Blackdown Tableland. (Dowe, J.L.: A taxonomic account of Livistona R.Br. (Arecaceae))A

Habitat

  • Grows in moist sites in open forest and woodland, in gullies and gorges near streams and waterfalls at cliff bases; confined to sandstone areas, 400-900 m alt. Flowers Sep-Feb; fruits Dec?May. (Dowe, J.L.: A taxonomic account of Livistona R.Br. (Arecaceae))A

Discussion

  • Livistona fulva was described by Rodd (1998) based on Rodd 3062 from Blackdown Tableland, and named for the coppery brown floccose tomentum on the abaxial surface of the leaf. The relationships of L. fulva are unclear, but it is most similar to L. muelleri in having a flat rigid lamina, to L. decora in inflorescence size and morphology, and to L. victoriae in overall size and fruit morphology. Livistona fulva is a moderate sub-canopy palm to 13 m tall; leaves are moderate and regularly segmented, and with coppery brown floccose tomentum abaxially; segment apices are rigid, and with a bifurcate cleft to only 5% of the segment length; the inflorescence is unbranched, not extending beyond the limit of the crown, and with up to 9 partial inflorescences; bracts are loosely sheathing; flowers are yellow; fruit are globose to 16 mm diam., and pruinose dull black at maturity. (Dowe, J.L.: A taxonomic account of Livistona R.Br. (Arecaceae))A

Conservation

  • Lower risk, conservation dependent. (Dowe, J.L.: A taxonomic account of Livistona R.Br. (Arecaceae))A

Common Name

  • Blackdown Fan Palm. (Dowe, J.L.: A taxonomic account of Livistona R.Br. (Arecaceae))A

Description

  • Functionally dioecious palm. Trunk to 13 m tall, 20-25 cm dbh, leaf scars raised, internodes narrow, grey or brown, petiole stubs deciduous. Leaves 25-35 in a globose crown; petiole 150-250 cm long, 12-15 mm wide, adaxially moderately ridged, basal margins armed with single, curved black spines; leaf-base fibres moderately prominent, fine, persistent; lamina costapalmate, regularly segmented, circular in outline, 90-100 cm long, coriaceous, adaxially greyish green to glaucous, coppery brown floccose tomentum abaxially; lamina divided for 50-55% of its length, with 60-66 segments, depth of apical cleft 3-5% of the segment length, apical lobes acute to acuminate, rigid; parallel veins 8-9 each side of midrib; transverse veins thinner than parallel veins. Inflorescences unbranched at the base, not exually dimorphic, 100-230 cm long, not extending beyond the limit of the crown, branched to 4 orders; partial inflorescences 7-9; peduncular bract 1, loosely sheathing, with orange-brown scales; rachis bracts loosely sheathing, with orange-brown scales; rachillae 5-16 cm long, papillose. Flowers solitary or in clusters of 2-3, funnel-shaped, yellow, 1.6-2 mm long; sepals narrowly triangular, 1.0-1.3 mm long, membranous, acute; petals broadly ovate, 1.6-2 mm long, thick, acute; stamens ca. 1.6 mm long. Fruit globose, 12-16 mm diam., pruinose dull black; epicarp smooth; suture line not obvious; mesocarp thin, fibrous; endocarp thin, crustaceous. Seed globose, 10-13 mm wide. Eophyll 5-ribbed. (Dowe, J.L.: A taxonomic account of Livistona R.Br. (Arecaceae))A

Materials Examined

  • Specimens examined: AUSTRALIA: Queensland. Blackdown Tableland, Rodd 3062 & Jacobs (BH, BRI, K, NSW holotype); slopes below N escarpment, Blaxell 921 with Johnson (NSW); Blackdown Tableland, Irvine 1903, 1904, 1905 & 1906 (QRS); N escarpment, Jones 6338 & Jones (CANB); Mimosa Ck, 23º05'S, 149º00'E, Henderson 1180 (BRI, K, NSW); 32 km SE of Blackwater, Henderson 876 (BRI); ca 35 km SE of Blackwater, 23º05'S, 149º00'E, Durrington & Sharpe 1180 (MEL); just below escarpment at NE end (roadpass), Rodd 3063, 3064 & 3065 (BH, BRI, K, NSW); below escarpment, 2 km from top, 23º43'S, 49º07'E, Dowe 300 (FTG). (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