Saribus woodfordii (Ridl.) Bacon & W.J.Baker

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

Moderately robust, single-stemmed tree palm to 16 m

Morphology Stem

Stem 12–20 cm diam., leaf scars slightly raised, light grey, internodes broad, greyish-brown to grey with age, petiole stubs not persistent

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 30–60 in a globose to broadly conical crown; leaf blade subcircular to circular, 60–170 × 45–90 cm, rigid, shiny mid-green on upper surface, glaucous, lower surface lighter green with fine powdery wax, divided for 51–75% of its length, with 60–70 segments, depth of apical cleft 5–23% of the segment length, apical lobes acuminate, semi-pendulous, hanging ca. 45° or more to the vertical; petiole to ca. 1.1 m long, slightly arching, upper surface slightly ridged, covered with a deciduous white powder, margins unarmed or with single, small, curved, green spines, confined to the proximal half

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence with a single axis basally branched into 3 equal axes 10–30 cm above the base, each axis branched to 3 orders, 1.2–2.7 m long, slightly curving; first-order branches 5–10; peduncular bracts lacking; rachillae 4–6 cm long, 1 mm thick, straight, basally with brown- purple tomentum

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers in clusters of 2–6; sepals and petals red

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit globose, 7–12 mm diam., reddish orange to reddish brown

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed globose, 6–9.5 mm diam.; endosperm intruded with brownish tissue.distribution

Distribution

Far south-eastern New Guinea and the Louisiade Archipelago (Rossel and Sudest Islands) Elsewhere in the Solomon Islands (Tulagi [Nggela] and San Cristobal Islands).

Ecology

Coastal forest on limestone or lateritic soils at sea level to 120 m.

Vernacular

Boda (Wedau), Filu (Kakabai).

Conservation

Least Concern. Though relatively restricted in New Guinea, Saribus woodfordii is more widespread beyond.

Note

Saribus woodfordii is a moderate canopy palm. The leaves are regularly segmented with the segment apices semi-pendulous. The inflorescence is a single axis divided into 3 main branches, with the branches basally adnate. This arrangement is unusual in Saribus in that branching occurs away from the base of the inflorescence rather than at the base as in all other species in the genus. The flowers (petals and sepals) are red and the globose fruit are reddish orange to reddish brown at maturity.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/38601/10136462

Conservation

VU - vulnerable