Common name: Canterbury umbrella palm, big mountain palm
Hedyscepe canterburyana (C.Moore & F.Muell.) H.Wendl. & Drude APNI* Description: Palm 3–10 (-15) m high; leaf scars 2–5 cm apart. Crownshaft c. 50 cm long, glaucous.
Leaves arcuate, 1.5–2 (-3) m long; petiole short; rachis stout; pinnae 40–60, borne upwards on rachis, 20–30 cm long.
Inflorescence arising below crownshaft, 30–40 cm long; prophyll and pedunculate bract caducous; rachis stout, 20–60 cm long, with 30–50 branches. Male flowers ivory-coloured; sepals 4 mm long, acuminate; petals ovate, 8 mm long, acute; filaments 10 mm long. Female flowers purplish black; sepals and petals imbricate; stigma ± sessile.
Fruit c. 5 cm long, 4 cm broad, dull red.
Flowering: Flowers end March–mid July.
Distribution and occurrence: Endemic to Lord Howe Island. On the upper slopes and summits of Mts Gower and Lidgbird, from about 400 m.
NSW subdivisions: LHI
Text by P.S. Green (1994)
Taxon concept: P.S. Green (1994)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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