Cyphokentia macrostachya

Cyphokentia (sigh-foh-kent-EE-ah) macrostachya (mak-roh-stah-KEE-ah)
Location: Yaté, New Caledonia.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Cyphokentia (sigh-foh-kent-EE-ah) Species: macrostachya (mak-roh-stah-KEE-ah)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Oceania
Morphology
Habit: Solitary Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
None.

Habitat and Distribution

Cyphokentia macrostachya is endemic to New Caledonia, this species found in rain forests, only on

Location: Amoa, New Caledonia.

the Mainland, has a wide, but disjunct distribution: in the far south, as well as the central and the northeast coast. Substratum: Primarily on deep ultramafic substrate, and vulcano-sedimentary substrate as well.

Description

Hight: Up to 15m., with a trunk of 10 to 15 cm. in diam., no prominent leaf scars. Crown holds 8 to 15 recurving leaves, more than 2 m. long, with a glabrous petiole about 5 to 17 cm. long; plus a sheath, (crownshaft) of 0.5 to 1 m. long, light green, entirely covered with a whitish waxy coating on the surface, and a pale pinkish white on the inside. Inflorescences arising from the bottom, or under the crownshaft, heavily branched and spreading, 90 x 70 cm., reddish when young, greenish as it ages, entirely covered with a whitish waxy coating. Fruit, red or black when ripe, ellipsoid to globose, 10-20 x 7 - 11 mm., 10 x 6 mm. seeds. Editing by edric.

Culture

Slow growing, but faster than C. cerifera. Hardiness: USDA zone: 10a

Comments and Curiosities

"Slow growing, ornamental but exceedingly rare palm (in cultivation at least) from New Caledonia... known for its dark reddish crownshaft covered with a thick coating of white powder, and very regular, evenly spaced, perfectly recurved pinnate leaves. No experience outdoors in California yet... so slow growing it's hard to imagine I will find out in my lifetime, either." (Geoff Stein)