Livistona carinensis
Livistona (liv-iss-TOH-nah) carinensis (kahr-ih-NEN-sis) | |||||||
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Djibouti Islands. Bankoualé Palm. Photo-dijiboutinature.org | |||||||
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Contents
Habitat and Distribution
Djibouti, Somalia and Yemen. In the Horn of Africa, in Djibouti in the Goda Mts, and in Somalia at Carin, Uncad, Galgala, Marajo, Duud Shabeel and Xamur. In Yemen in the Hadramaut region at El Mintaq and Wadi Hadjer. Grows in or adjacent to intermittently flowing streams or soaks in valley bottoms, but never fully dry soils, in semi-arid regions with rainfall less than 400 mm per annum, at 200-975 m alt.Description
Hermaphroditic, Solitary palm. Trunk to 40 m tall, about 40 cm in diameter breast high, leaf scars prominent, slightly oblique, irregular in width, internodes narrow, petiole stubs persistent in the lower 1-2 m. Leaves 30-40 in a globose to conical crown; petiole to 125 cm long, 5-8 cm wide proximally, 1-2 cm wide distally, adaxially flat to shallowly concave, bright orange-yellow-green, margins armed with large single or double, dark brown curved spines throughout, but largest and closer in the proximal portion; spines conical, basally swollen, apically acute, retrorsely recurved, brown-black, 7-25 mm long, 3-10 mm wide at the base, 8-15 mm apart, reduced to tubercles in the distal portion of the petiole, 4-6 cm apart; leaf-base fibres prominent, fine, persistent; appendage rigid, 6-7 cm long, brown to black; lamina costapalmate, regularly segmented, subcircular in outline, 80-95 cm long, thick, both surfaces waxy, glabrous, grey-green on adaxial surface, grey abaxially,drying chartaceous; lamina divided for 75-85% of its length, with 50- 70 segments, depth of apical cleft 40-50% of the segment length, apical lobes rigid, segment midrib very prominent; parallel veins 18-20 each side of midrib; transverse veins thinner than parallel veins, inconspicuous on the surface; segment margins thickened, with a deciduous filament,the remains of which persist where the segments diverge from adjacent segments; lamina anatomically isolateral, hypodermis 1-layered below each surface (not with a 2?layered adaxial hypodermis as in other species, cf. Tomlinson, 1961). Inflorescences unbranched at the base, 200-240 cm long, extending beyond the limit of the crown by about 20 cm, slender, arching, eventually pendulous, branched to 3 orders; partial inflorescences 6-12; rachillae very thin, yellowish, with scattered long hairs; peduncular bract 1, glabrous; rachis bracts tubular, brown red, striate, glabrous. Flowers in clusters of about 5, about 2 mm long, yellow-green, abaxial surface of perianth segments with scattered long hairs; sepals much shorter than the petals, irregular, margins hyaline, scattered long hairs on the abaxial surface near the apex; petals apically pointed, scattered long hairs near the apex; filaments basally connate; carpels scarcely fused, similarly the styles. Fruit globose, 5-20 (50) mm in diam., dark brown to black; epicarp thin, dull, shallowly rugose in the fresh state, deeply rugose in the dried state; stigmatic remains apical; suture line extends for the length of the fruit; mesocarp greenish with very large sclerenchymatous cells; mesocarp very thin, adhering to the endocarp; pedicel narrow, 4-5 mm long. Seed globose; intruded by the seed coat to displace most of the endosperm; embryo sublateral. Eophyll 7-ribbed. (Dowe, J.L.)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.
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The geographic isolation of Livistona carinensis, some 4000 km from the nearest Livistona species in northeast India, introduces interesting questions with respect to historical distribution and phylogeny. Based on morphology it is similar to species in western and northwestern Australia, but this appears to be an example of ecological convergence. Recent molecular analysis (Isagi et al., in prep.) places it close to L. jenkinsiana. Livistona carinensis was first described by Chiovenda (1929) as a Borassoid palm and named Hyphaene carinensis with the specific name derived from the site of its collection in the Carin region of Somalia. The type specimen, Puccioni & Stefanini 1027, was collected in 1924. The original description was based solely on leaf material as flowers and fruit were not collected. Subsequently, the generic determination was not soundly established, and the species true affinities were open to question. Chevalier (1939) suggested that it was a species of Medemia: ?? peutêtre M. argun P.G. von Wurtemberg connu seulement en Nubie??, a genus from northeast Africa also in the Borassoid group of palms. However, it was the German palm specialist, Burret (1943), in his treatment of the Arabian palms, who correctly recognised it as a Coryphoid palm and assigned it to a new genus, Wissmannia, named after the discoverer of the palm in Yemen, H. von Wissmann, and thus established the name Wissmannia carinensis (Chiov.) Burret. Burret only had leaves at his disposal, so there still remained questions about the affinities of the species. The first complete description, including flowers and fruit, was provided by Monod (1955) based on specimens collected in Djibouti by E. Chédeville. Monod noted the similarity of its flowers and fruit to Livistona, but did not introduce any taxonomic changes and maintained the species in Wissmannia. Tomlinson (1961), in a study based on leaf anatomy, provided data that suggested that there was no single character that could be used to separate Wissmannia from Livistona, but that by invoking a suite of characters, all of which were otherwise shared with certain species of Livistona, it was a distinct genus. Moore (1973, 1977) and Langlois (1976), similarly, indicated a close relationship with Livistona but maintained taxonomic distinction. Based on this evidence and with further study, Dransfield and Uhl (1983a) provided the formal transfer of Wissmannia to Livistona, and established the name Livistona carinensis. Livistona carinensis is listed as a critically endangered species. Reports on the palm's ecological status have been prepared by Welch and Welch (1998, 1999) and Ford and Bealy (2004). Surveys in Djibouti, Somalia and Yemen, resulted in the location of all adult palms, and with a total of less than 1800 palms. Compared to reports on population numbers taken 10-20 years previously, there had been a decline in numbers of 23-59% across all locations. The primary causes of such rapid decline are the cutting down of the palms for timber, or the clearance of land for agriculture. There is no active program to conserve this species in either Somalia or Yemen, but the Government of Djibouti has developed a conservation plan. Livistona carinensis is a large canopy palm to 40 m tall; leaves are large and regularly segmented; segment apices are rigid, and with a bifurcate cleft to 50% of the segment length; the petiole is armed with very large spines; the inflorescence is unbranched, extending beyond the limit of the crown and pendulous, and with up to 12 partial inflorescences; bracts are tubular; flowers are yellowish green with long unbranched hairs on the sepals and petals; the rachillae are also covered with long unbranched hairs; fruit are globose, to 5-20 (50) mm in diameter, and dark brown to black at maturity. (Dowe, J.L.)/Palmweb. |
Culture
Sunny, well drained position. Drought and frost tolerant. Hardiness: zone 10a
Comments and Curiosities
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The only Livistona found outside the Asian area.
Conservation: Vulnerable (IUCN, 2006), but here upgraded to Endangered based on Welch & Welch (1999) and Ford & Bealy (2004). In Somalia, only 38 trees in two localities are known; there are approximately 2000 trees in three villages in Wadi Hadjen in the Jol, South Yemen; there is no information regarding the sub-population status in Djibouti. Absence of regeneration (Somalia), excessive number of goats and local over-exploitation of the wood because of timber shortages (Yemen). The South Yemen subpopulations are additionally threatened by local over-exploitation of the wood because of timber shortages. Uses: In Djibouti the leaves are used for thatching. In Somalia the leaves of young plants are used for the production of mats and baskets, and the stems for house building and drainage pipes. Livistona carinensis is sometimes the only source of straight timber locally available, and much sought after. The leaves are grazed by goats and cattle. A potential use of the species is as an avenue tree in dry locations. (database.prota.org) Once known as Wissmannia carinensis, this palm from the deserts of Djibouti, Somalia and Yemen today is thought to belong within the genus Livistona. It produces a straight, slender trunk that can reach to 30 m (98 ft.) tall and is ringed with scars left from the leafbases. The small fan leaves are held on spiny petioles which are yellowish towards the tip and black towards the base. The short inflorescences produce very small, black, round fruit. Livistona carinensis is considered endangered and only found in small numbers in a few desert oases, growing besides streams and irrigation ducts, roughly between sea level and about 1000 m (3300 ft.) altitude. In cultivation it is still exceedingly rare but has proven to be adaptable and easy to grow in a variety of tropical and warm temperate climates. (RPS.com) "This Livistona species is quite mysterious in that it grows very disjunct from any other in the genus, and is native to Africa. The species name refers to the fact that it grows in the oases of Carin, an area outside of Mogadishu in Somalia. The arming of the petioles is not as fierce as many Australian species, its leaflets are stiff and are almost reminiscent of Trithrinax, but are glaucous. If you find this palm, scoop it up - the palm is very rare in cultivation." (cfkingfish) "A very attractive and somewhat different looking Livistona, this is the only Livistona native to Africa. It is a bit fastidious in So Cal (I haven't managed to keep one alive), but in the tropics it is a popular specimen having jet black and yellow-orange petioles with a hint of blue in the leaves. The leaves are not that finely split or floppy as are many of the Australian Livistonas are. It is a very 'beefy' palm having a wide trunk and does not grow nearly as tall as most other Livistonas. Despite its 10a rating, it is a much more difficult grow than that in California, with most plants failing to make it to maturity. I know of only a single mature plant (in Orange County) so far (2012)." (Geoff Stein) |
External Links
- Glossary of Palm Terms
- MODERN BOTANICAL LATIN
- "Just To Be Clear"
- Great Info
- A Must See
- Revision of Livistona (Arecaceae) in Australia, By Dr. A.N. Rodd
- Australian Palms, By John Leslie Dowe
- https://youtu.be/PjUUdzYgCI4
References
Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.
Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos.
Special thanks to Palmweb.org, Dr. John Dransfield, Dr. Bill Baker & team, for their volumes of information and photos.
Glossary of Palm Terms; Based on the glossary in Dransfield, J., N.W. Uhl, C.B. Asmussen-Lange, W.J. Baker, M.M. Harley & C.E. Lewis. 2008. Genera Palmarum - Evolution and Classification of the Palms. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. All images copyright of the artists and photographers (see images for credits).
Dowe, J.L., A taxonomic account of Livistona R.Br. (Arecaceae). A taxonomic account of Livistona R.Br. (Arecaceae).
Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.