Arecaceae
Licuala

Licuala brevicalyx Becc.

First published in Nova Guinea 8: 218 (1909)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is New Guinea. It is a tree and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.

Descriptions

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
Single-stemmed palm to 3−4 m
Morphology Stem
Stem 7−10 cm diam. Leaf sheath 10−15 cm long, breaking up distally in fibrous mesh; petiole 1.2−2 m long, armed in lower ¼−⅓; divided into 15−35 segments, with scattered minute, dark brown scales underneath; mid-segment 40−90 cm long, irregularly fused basally with adjacent segments, truncate apically
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence 1.5−1.8 m long, with 6−8 first-order branches, curved; peduncle 30−35 cm long, not exposed at anthesis; peduncular bract lacking; rachis zigzag, bracts loosely sheathing distally; proximal first-order branch with straight to curved main axis, peduncle 10−13 cm long, rachis 9−12 cm long, bearing up to 30 rachillae, these to 15 cm long, straight to curved, minutely pubescent; increasing in robustness after anthesis
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers solitary or paired; pedicel 0.6−1 mm long; calyx bell- shaped, 2.4−2.7 mm long, loosely sheathing, parchment- like, semi-transparent in dried condition, glabrous, apically truncate or with 3, up to 1 mm long lobes; stamens biseriate; ovary 0.8−1 mm long; style 0.4−0.5 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit globose, 0.8−1 cm diam., endocarp brittle, smooth
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seed globose, 0.6−0.8 mm diam.
Distribution
Widely distributed south of the Central Range.
Ecology
Lowland forest at sea level to 450 m.
Vernacular
Filil (Amele), Meo (Kairi).
Conservation
Near Threatened. Licuala brevicalyx has a relatively restricted distribution. Deforestation due to logging and mining concessions is a major threat in its distribution range.
Note
A distinctive member of the L. penduliflora complex (L. bankae, L. brevicalyx, L. multibracteata, L. penduliflora, L. suprafolia) in its large inflorescences, with zigzag main axis and inflated tomentose rachis bracts. The flowers are delicate with a loosely sheathing, membranous calyx.
[PONG]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Uses

Use
Timber for construction, axe handles and bows. Leaves for thatch.
[PONG]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images

  • Palms of New Guinea

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0