Hedyscepe
| Hedyscepe | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Arecales |
| Family: | Arecaceae |
| Tribe: | Areceae |
| Subtribe: | Rhopalostylidinae |
| Genus: | Hedyscepe H.Wendl. &Drude |
| Species: | H. canterburyana
|
| Binomial name | |
| Hedyscepe canterburyana (C. Moore & F.Muell.) H. Wendl. &Drude
| |
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| H. canterburyanais endemic toLord Howe Island | |
Hedyscepe canterburyana,thebig mountain palmorumbrella palm,is the sole species in the genusHedyscepeof the familyArecaceae.It isendemictoLord Howe Island,Australiaand is threatened byhabitat loss.It is a solitary palm with a distinct crownshaft, and bears unisexualflowersof both sexes. With theRhopalostylispalms ofNorfolk IslandandNew Zealandit forms the botanic subtribeRhopalostylidinae.If differs fromRhopalostylisin minor floral details including having more than six stamens, and in being protandrous rather thanprotogynous.The two genera were formerly included inArchontophoenicinaeuntil a recent revision (Dransfield, Uhl et al., 2005). In some (but not all) molecular phylogenetic analyses,Hedyscepewas found to be nested in theNew CaledoniaendemicBasselinia.[2]
Description
[edit]Hedyscepe canterburyanais a slow-growing palm up to 10 metres (33 ft) tall which grows on mountain forests, cliffs, and exposed ridges overlooking the sea, at about 400–750 m (1,310–2,460 ft) of altitude. It has a slender, close-ringed trunk, a prominent silverycrownshaftand a compact crown of dense, dark green, stiffly arching recurved fronds somewhat reminiscent of those ofHowea belmoreana.The egg-shapedfruitare deep red when ripe, and about 4 cm long. They appear in densely bunched fruiting spikes from below the crownshaft. Each fruit contains a single seed.
Cultivation
[edit]
Lord Howe Island has a subtropical climate. Summers are mild to warm with regular rain, and winters are wetter and somewhat cooler. Average maximum temperatures range between 17 and 20 °C (63 and 68 °F) in winter and 24–27 °C (75–81 °F) in the summer. In winter, average minimum temperatures range between 12 and 15 °C (54 and 59 °F), and 18–22 °C (64–72 °F) in summer. Humidity averages in the 60 to 70 per cent range all year round.[3]
With its arching fronds,H. canterburyanais a very attractive palm which is becoming increasingly popular among garden enthusiasts in cool subtropical and warm temperate climates. It is difficult to grow in the tropics or where nights are never cool, but does well in climates likeSydneyandAuckland,and can tolerate the occasional light frost once established. It needs a rich organic soil, and shelter from sun for at least the first five years. It also does well in containers or as indoor plants where light is good. Single plants are capable of producing fertileseed.Fresh seed is slow and erratic in germination, with seedlings appearing from five to 18 months after they are sown. Fruit take up to four years to ripen and it is not easy to tell when the seeds are ripe.
Sources
[edit]- Dransfield, John, Natalie W Uhl, Conny B Asmussen, William J Baker, Madeline M Harley, and Carl E Lewis 2005. 'A new phylogenetic classification of the palm family, Arecaceae'.Kew Bulletin,Vol. 60 (2005).
- Jones, David L. 1995.Palms Throughout the World.Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C.
- Jones, David L. 1996.Palms in Australia.Reed Books, Melbourne.
- Krempin, Jack 1990.Palms & Cycads Around The World.Herron Books, Fortitude Valley, Queensland.
- Uhl, Natalie W. and Dransfield, John 1987.Genera Palmarum - A classification of palms based on the work of Harold E. Moore.Allen Press, Lawrence, Kansas.ISBN0-935868-30-5/ISBN978-0-935868-30-2.
Notes
[edit]- ^Johnson, D. (1998)."Hedyscepe canterburyana".IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.1998:e.T38575A10124169.doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T38575A10124169.en.Retrieved14 November2021.
- ^Baker, W. J., M. V. Norup, J. J. Clarkson, T. L. P. Couvreur, J. L. Dowe, C. E. Lewis, J. C. Pintaud,V. Savolainen,T. Wilmot, andM. W. Chase.(2011). Phylogenetic Relationships among Arecoid Palms (Arecaceae: Arecoideae). Annals of Botany 108 (8): 1417–32.
- ^Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology,Climate of Lord Howe IslandArchived2008-08-16 at theWayback Machine.Accessed 24 July 2008.
