Areca novohibernica

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Areca (ah-REHK-ah)
novohibernica
(no-vo-hih-behr-NEEK-ah)
684.jpg
Papua New Guinea. Photo by Dr. William J. Baker, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Areca (ah-REHK-ah)
Species:
novohibernica
(no-vo-hih-behr-NEEK-ah)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Oceania
Oceania.gif
Morphology
Habit: Solitary
Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
None.

Habitat and Distribution

Areca novohibernica is found in the Bismarck Archipelago, Solomon Is.
Singapore. Photo by Philippe
From the rainforests on Bougainville Island, in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea.

Description

A thin, stilt-rooted trunk to 3 m (10 ft.) or more tall, and a compact crown of leaves with broad, finely tipped leaflets. The rather large, dark red fruits are said to be edible and the seeds have a slightly narcotic effect and can be used like those of A. catechu.

Culture

It is best suited for a protected spot in the humid tropical garden. Cold Hardiness Zone: 10b

Comments and Curiosities

The species is native to the Bismarck Archipelago and the Solomon Islands where it grows in the pluvial forests. The name of the genus is the Latinization of the local name of an Indian species belonging to the genus; the name of the species refers to the origin place of the first specimen described, the island of Nova Hibernia (New Ireland) in the Bismarck Archipelago.

The Areca novohibernica (Lauterb.) Becc. (1914) is an unarmed monoecious species with thin single stem, 3-6 cm of diameter, erect, 2-4 m tall, on which are visible the rings, spaced of 3-4 cm, trace of the attachment of the fallen leaves; it has at the base robust aerial roots which develop like stilts.

The leaves, on an up to about 40 cm long petiole, are pinnate, arcuate, 1,2-1,9 m long, with the foliar base wrapping totally the trunk for a height of about 40 cm forming a sort of a tubular capital with a slight swelling in the lower part. The pinnules, of variable breadth, 4-15 cm, with numerous pleats and indented at the extremity, are 40-70 cm long, of glossy intense green colour.

The about 30 cm long ramified inflorescences are under the leaves, on a 4 cm long peduncle, initially enclosed in a deciduous membranaceous spathe, carrying unisexual flowers of both sexes, with the female ones arranged at the base of the branches. Ovate-elliptic fruits, 3-3,5 cm long and of about 1,8 cm of diameter, red when ripe, containing one only seed, 1,4-1,9 cm long and 1,3 cm broad. It reproduces by seed in organic sandy loam at the temperature of 24-26 °C.

Little diffused species with very elegant habit, to be utilized isolated or in groups at the shade of great trees exclusively in the tropical and humid subtropical climate zones, on soils rich of organic substance, draining, and constantly kept humid; suitable for its contained dimensions also to small shadowy gardens.

Areca novohibernica (Lauterb.) Becc.: A, apical portion of leaf; B, middle portion of leaf; C, portion of rachilla with staminate and pistillate flowers; D, E, staminate flower whole and in section; F, G, pistillate flower whole and in section; H, inflorescence; I, J, fruit whole and in section. Scale bar: A, B, 8 cm; C, I, J, 1.5 cm; D, E, 3 mm; F, G, 7 mm; H, 6 cm. A, B, from Sands 726; C–G, I–J, from Sands 2124; H, from Takeuchi 16802. Drawn by Lucy T. Smith.

Young specimens in pot can be employed for the decoration of inner spaces, greenhouses and winter gardens in luminous position, but avoiding the direct sun, utilizing substrata rich of humus with addition of coarse sand, agri-perlite or other inert around the 30%, for improving the drainage; the waterings must be regular during the whole year and the temperatures it is good that they do not fall under the +16 °C.

Synonyms: Nenga novohibernica Lauterb. (1911) © MONACO NATURE ENCYCLOPEDIA | All rights reserved

A delightful, smallish palm with a thin, stilt-rooted trunk to 3 m (10 ft.) or more tall and a compact crown of leaves with broad, finely tipped leaflets. It has at the base robust aerial roots which develop like stilts.

Little diffused species with very elegant habit, to be utilized isolated or in groups at the shade of great trees exclusively in the tropical and humid subtropical climate zones, on soils rich of organic substance, draining, and constantly kept humid; suitable for its contained dimensions also to small shadowy gardens. (TopTropicals)



External Links

References

Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.

Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos.

Special thanks to Palmweb.org, Dr. John Dransfield, Dr. Bill Baker & team, for their volumes of information and photos.

Glossary of Palm Terms; Based on the glossary in Dransfield, J., N.W. Uhl, C.B. Asmussen-Lange, W.J. Baker, M.M. Harley & C.E. Lewis. 2008. Genera Palmarum - Evolution and Classification of the Palms. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. All images copyright of the artists and photographers (see images for credits).


Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.

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