Ptychosperma schefferi

Ptychosperma
(tigh-koh-SPEHR-muh)
scheferi (shef'-fehr-ee)

Vanimo, PNG. Photo by Rolf Kyburz, edric

Scientific Classification

Genus:	Ptychosperma (tigh-koh-SPEHR-muh)
Species:	scheferi (shef'-fehr-ee)

Synonyms

None set.

Native Continent

Oceania

Morphology

Habit:	Solitary & clustering.
Leaf type:	Pinnate

Culture

Survivability index

Common names

Scheffer's Palm

Habitat and Distribution

Endemic to the Central north coast of New Guinea.

Description

Small palm, single trunked or clumping, to about 7m tall. It has dark green leaves, and a whitish covering on the crownshaft. Editing by edric.

Culture

Quite common in cultivation in the tropics.

Comments and Curiosities

"Solitary variety. Just survived a 28 degree night in zone 9B, St. Petersburg Florida, without even "bronzing". Its up against a fence, but otherwise had no other protection. The specimen is about 2 years old and 4 feet tall." (Laura), edric.

"Loves the alkaline soils of the Florida Keys. One of the few 'solitare' type palms that thrives here. From time to time the Keys get pretty dry...desert dry...this palm doesn't seem to mind." (Bobby), edric.

"Very attractive clustering to solitary palm from New Guinea. the clumping form is particulary nice in a large clump, about the only thing you can see are the neat, perfect leaves with wide emerald green leaflets. Soliary specimens are far more ordinary looking." (Geoff Stein), edric.

External Links

References

Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.

Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos, edric.

Special thanks to Palmweb.org, Dr. John Dransfield, Dr. Bill Baker & team, for their volumes of information and photos, edric.

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).