Arecaceae
Licuala

Licuala penduliflora (Blume) Zipp. ex Blume

First published in Rumphia 2: 47 (1838)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is New Guinea (incl. Kep. Aru). It is a shrub or 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 2−10 m
Morphology Stem
Stem 6−8 cm diam. Leaf sheath 40−60 cm long, disintegrating into bands of fibrous mesh proximally, with 2 early caducous, strap-like extensions; petiole 150−170 cm long, lower ⅓ armed; blade divided into 15−25 segments; mid- segment 50−75 cm long, 4−16 cm wide, sometimes with additional, irregular split reaching 5−10 cm above the hastula
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence 1.5−2.5 m long, erect to slightly curved, all parts with rust-coloured hairs, branched to 2 orders, with 5−9 first-order branches; peduncle 20−25 cm long, contained in prophyll; peduncular bract lacking; rachis 1.6−2.3 cm long, straight; basal rachis bract 27−34 cm long; proximal first-order branch with 5−8 cm long peduncle and 15−20 cm long main axis bearing 15−20 rachillae
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers in pairs basally and solitary distally, subtending bracts to 1 mm long, pedicels 2−3 mm long, with scattered rust-coloured hairs; calyx 2.5−3 mm long, breaking up in 0.4−0.6 mm long, rounded lobes; corolla yellow, 3−4 mm long; stamens distinctly biseriate; ovary glabrous, 0.8−1 mm long, truncate to rounded apically; style 0.5−0.6 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit globose, 8−10 mm diam., orange at maturity, mesocarp 1 mm thick, endocarp brittle, smooth
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seed endosperm with sinuous cavities resembling ruminations.
Distribution
Widely distributed in New Guinea, the Raja Ampat Islands and Aru.
Ecology
Lowland forest at sea level to 400 m.
Vernacular
Erela (Orokolo), Kaa (Uruaru), Kie (Tmindemanuk), Nú (Matbat), Pesem (Gebe), Sinlo (Sough).
Conservation
Least Concern.
Note
A variable species recognised by the combination of long pedicellate flowers and a distinctly biseriate staminal ring with a narrow opening into the flower. The latter is probably closely linked to the pollination mechanism.
[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]

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
For construction. Edible palm heart.
[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