Licuala anomala Becc.

Baker, W.J., Barfod, A.S., Cámara-Leret, R., Dowe, J.L., Heatubun, C.D., Petoe, P., Turner, J.H., Zona, S. & Dransfield, J. (2024) Palms of New Guinea. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond. 726 pp.

Morphology General Habit

Small, single-stemmed palm to 2 m

Morphology Stem

Stem ca. 3 cm diam. Leaf sheath distally detached from petiole in 2 strap-like extensions to 40 cm long; petiole 80−100 cm long, armed on lower third; blade divided into (3−)5−7 segments, uneven in width, mid-segment 40−55 cm long, truncate or rounded, variably split apically even within the same individual, 10−30 cm wide at the apex

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence 50−70 cm long, branched to 2–3 orders, erect with 4−5 first-order branches; peduncle 15−30 cm long, contained in prophyll; peduncular bract lacking; rachis zigzag; rachis bracts inflated; first-order branches partly contained at anthesis, erect, the proximal ones with 3−4 cm long main axis, bearing 5−7, to 9 cm long, thick rachillae

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers densely inserted in clusters of up to three, borne on 1−1.5 mm long pedicels, bullet-shaped to rounded, 4−4.5 mm long; calyx ca. 2 mm long, bell-shaped with stalked base, splitting ca. halfway into 3 lobes, corolla ca. 3 mm long, yellow, fleshy; stamens biseriate, filaments as long as anthers; ovary obovate ca. 1 mm long; style 1−1.2 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit globose, 12−14 mm across, mesocarp 1–2 mm thick, endocarp thin, smooth

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed 7–8 mm diam.

Distribution

From the Bird’s Head Peninsula to south-western New Guinea.

Ecology

In hill forest and on river banks at sea level to 750 m.

Vernacular

Beimeji (Sougb), Sifenete (Sumuri).

Conservation

Near Threatened. Licuala anomala has a relatively restricted distribution. Deforestation due to mining, oil palm plantations and logging concessions is a major threat within its distribution.

Note

First collected in 1907, under the Dutch expedition to the Lorentz River in Indonesian New Guinea, Licuala anomala has recently been recollected near Bintuni in the south-eastern part of the Bird’s head Peninsula. The leaf of the type collection is aberrant and may represent a juvenile leaf.

Recognition

It is superficially similar to L. urciflora from Waigeo Island, but characterised by having clearly pedicellate, rounded flowers, with a membranous, bell-shaped and basally stalked calyx. The split mid-segment and the pedicellate flowers reveal its affinity to the L. telifera complex (L. anomala, L. bellatula, L. bifida, L. telifera, L. urciflora). The former feature, however, is not constant and even within the same plant various types of splitting may be observed.