Pritchardia hillebrandii
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Pritchardia hillebrandii habit, young palm (MBC photo: 00234A-GD01). Photograph courtesy of Montgomery Botanical Center http://www.montgomerybotanical.org/ |
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Pritchardia hillebrandii stem and leaf canopy |
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Pritchardia hillebrandii leaf with dense white tomentum on petiole and midribs |
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Pritchardia hillebrandii closer view of leaf with dense white tomentum on petiole and midribs |
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Pritchardia hillebrandii leaf with hastula. Photograph courtesy of Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, Guide to Palms http://palmguide.org/index.php |
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Pritchardia hillebrandii leaf with less white tomentum on petiole and midribs |
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Pritchardia hillebrandii leaf with bifid, pendant tips |
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Pritchardia hillebrandii inflorescence. Photograph courtesy of Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, Guide to Palms http://palmguide.org/index.php |
Common name
lo'ulu lelo, Molokai fan palm
Description
Stem: Solitary, upright stems to 8 m tall and up to 25 cm in diameter, spreading slightly at the base of the stem, with vertical fissures on a dark gray background. Leaves: Somewhat variable in color and leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
tips, costapalmatecostapalmate:
a fan-shaped leaf with a midrib (costa) extending into the blade, sometimes extending far enough into the blade to cause it to curve (e.g., <em>Sabal palmetto</em>)
, induplicateinduplicate:
Most palm leaflets or leaf segments are obviously folded. If the folds create a V-shape, with the midrib lower than the margins (so that rain might fall "into a valley"), the folding is induplicate.
, 1-2 m across, undulate, forming half to two-thirds of a circle, divided into stiff, single-fold segments up to half the length of the leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
blade, with pendulous or erect, bifidbifid:
deeply cleft into two usually equal parts or two-lobed from the apex; for example, palms with bifid leaves or leaflet tips (e.g., <em>Chamaedorea metallica</em> has bifid leaves)
leaf segment tips. The leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
color is a green to blue-green or grayish green with a heavy white waxy coating. The petiole and ribs are covered with whitish wooly tomentumtomentum:
a covering of closely matted or fine hairs on plant leaves
. The leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
sheath breaks down into a mass of tawny fibers. The petiole is smooth and unarmed. Flowers and fruit: Inflorescences to 1 m long (usually shorter than or equal to the leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
petiole in length) with panicles branched to three orders. The flowers are yellow. Fruits spherical, black and ridged, to 22 x 19 mm.
Diagnostic features
Field: Solitary, upright palm to 8 m tall and up to 25 cm in diameter, with fissured, dark gray stem. Costapalmatecostapalmate:
a fan-shaped leaf with a midrib (costa) extending into the blade, sometimes extending far enough into the blade to cause it to curve (e.g., <em>Sabal palmetto</em>)
, undulating, green to blue-green or grayish green leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
blades, with a heavy, white waxy coating; the unarmed petiole and abaxialabaxial:
away from or the side of an organ facing away from the axis (<strong>ab </strong>as in <strong>ab</strong>andon); for example, the lower surface of a leaf blade or petiole
midribs covered with whitish wooly tomentumtomentum:
a covering of closely matted or fine hairs on plant leaves
. Fruits spherical, black and ridged, to 22 x 19 mm.
May be confused with
Other Pritchardia species, but the heavy waxy coating on leaves and the black, ridged fruit are distinctive.
Individuals with blue-green leaves might be mistaken for Latania loddigesii, but the blue latan palm leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
sheath splits to form a V-shape below the petiole, and the inflorescences of the two species are quite different.
Distribution
Native to the Hawaiian island, Molokai
Additional comments
This palm is native to Hawaii and is cultivated there but is also occasionally available for sale as an ornamental in warm areas including California and Florida.
Scientific name
Pritchardia hillebrandii Becc.
Family
Arecaceae/Palmae
Synonyms
Eupritchardia hildebrandii Kuntze
Pritchardia insignis Becc.
Styloma hillebrandii O.F.Cook
Styloma insignis O.F.Cook
Washingtonia hildebrandii Kuntze
