Difference between revisions of "Rhopaloblaste ceramica"

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[[Image:Rhopaloblaste-ceramica54.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Hawaiian Tropical Botanical Garden, edric.]]
 
 
{{Palmbox
 
{{Palmbox
|image=F94bd23e-5edd-4ed2-a6c1-0224d09fcee8.jpg
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|image=Fc6e70bc-3aa6-4dfe-9a3f-f9ba66d9be3b.jpg
|image_caption=Lae International Hotel, Morobe, Papua New Guinea. Photo by Dr. William J. Baker, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
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|image_caption=PNG National Botanic Garden, Morobe, Papua New Guinea. Photo by Dr. William J. Baker, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
 
|genus=Rhopaloblaste <br>(roh-pah-loh-BLAHS-teh)
 
|genus=Rhopaloblaste <br>(roh-pah-loh-BLAHS-teh)
 
|species=<br>ceramica (seh-rah-MEE-kah)
 
|species=<br>ceramica (seh-rah-MEE-kah)
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|soil_type=
 
|soil_type=
 
|msi=
 
|msi=
|common_names=Ahad (Buru dialect), Henahena (Ternate dialect), Ogulubenge (Tobaro dialect, Akelamo Oba, Maluku).
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|common_names=Ahad (Buru dialect), Henahena (Ternate dialect), Ogulubenge (Tobaro dialect, Akelamo Oba, Maluku), Ceram Palm.
 
}}
 
}}
 
==Habitat and Distribution==
 
==Habitat and Distribution==
''Rhopaloblaste ceramica'' Is found on; Maluku, and New Guinea. Widespread from Halmahera and Buru in the Moluccas through to Ceram, then to mainland New Guinea. In Papua New Guinea, known only with certainty from Sandaun and East Sepik Provinces in the north-western part of the country. However, the lost type of the dubious synonym R. dyscrita originates from Morobe Province in the east. Well drained lowland to lower montane primary rain forests. In secondary rain forests it is found in old garden areas, on broken coral to deep, loose, porous, black volcanic soil. Also on alluvial flats in deep clay soil. From 35 to 900 m above sea level. (R. Banka and W.J. Baker. 2004)/Palmweb.
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''Rhopaloblaste ceramica'' Is found on; Maluku, and New Guinea. Widespread [[image:F94bd23e-5edd-4ed2-a6c1-0224d09fcee8.jpg|thumb|left|370px|Lae International Hotel, Morobe, Papua New Guinea. Photo by Dr. William J. Baker, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.]]from Halmahera and Buru in the Moluccas through to Ceram, then to mainland New Guinea. In Papua New Guinea, known only with certainty from Sandaun and East Sepik Provinces in the north-western part of the country. However, the lost type of the dubious synonym R. dyscrita originates from Morobe Province in the east. Well drained lowland to lower montane primary rain forests. In secondary rain forests it is found in old garden areas, on broken coral to deep, loose, porous, black volcanic soil. Also on alluvial flats in deep clay soil. From 35 to 900 m above sea level. (R. Banka and W.J. Baker. 2004)/Palmweb.
 
==Description==
 
==Description==
 
Robust, canopy, solitary palm bearing up to 15 - 17 leaves in the crown. Stem to 35 m tall, 15 - 29 (- 35) cm in diam.; surface slightly rough, brownish grey leaf scars prominent; internodes 12 - 14 cm basally, decreasing to 1 cm distally. Leaf sheath 1.2 - 1.5 m long, pale brownish white, moderately to densely lepidote- tomentose; crownshaft 1.3 - 1.5 m long, about 25 - 40 cm wide, dull-green; petiole 3.5 - 4.5 cm long, shallowly concave on adaxial surface; rachis 3 - 4 m long, with abundant matted dark brown scales on adaxial surface, densely lepidote-tomentose on the abaxial surface, becoming brownish with age; leaflets 111 - 120 each side of rachis, 2.5 - 3 cm apart, in one plane, pendulous, middle leaflet 100 - 112 x 2.3 - 2.5 cm, linear, tapering acutely and bifid at the apex, adaxial surface dark green with dark brown twisted scales near the base of the pinnae and along adaxial surface of midrib, abaxial surface dull green and with some lepidote tomentum. Inflorescence massive, 55 - 130 cm long, with a spread of 1 - 1.5 m, divaricate, branched to 3 orders, primary branches 16, 45 - 75 cm long, with basal pair of primary branches strongly recurved; prophyll 65 - 70 x 10 - 18 cm, dark green, with dense greyish brown indumentum; peduncle 8 - 10 cm long, 7- 10 cm in diam., greyish with some tomentum; robust rachillae 45 - 75 cm long, 4.9 - 7.3 mm in diameter, greyish green; flowers sunken in shallow pits formed by rachilla bracts. Staminate flower symmetric, greenish, 6.5 - 7 mm long, 6.5 - 6.8 mm in diam. at anthesis; sepals 3 - 3.1 x 3.1 - 3.3 mm, broadly elliptic; petals 6 -6.5 x 6.5 - 6.7 mm, broadly elliptic, glabrous; stamens 3.3- 4 mm long, filaments 2- 2.5 mm long, connate at the base, yellowish, anthers 2.1 - 2.3 mm long, 0.9 - 1 mm in diam., elliptic; pistillode conical, 2.3 - 2.5 mm long, 1.2 - 1.3 mm in diam. Pistillate flower slightly asymmetric, 4.3 - 4.7 mm long, 7.6 - 7.9 mm in diam., borne throughout the rachillae; sepals 3.9 - 4 x 3.7 - 3.8 mm, rounded; petals 4.3 - 4.4 x 2.2 - 2.4 mm, elliptic; staminodes usually 4, lobes 0.8 - 0.9 x 0.7 - 0.8 mm; gynoecium 4.3 - 4.9 mm long, 4.2 - 4.5 mm in diam., ovoid. Fruit 30 - 35 mm long, 16 - 18 mm in diam., asymmetric ellipsoid-ovoid, yellow when immature, becoming red at maturity; cupule of persistent perianth 11 - 12 mm long. Seed 21 - 31 mm long, 14 - 16 mm in diam., ellipsoid-ovoid, brown; conspicuous impression over the hilum, testa brown. (R. Banka and W.J. Baker. 2004)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.
 
Robust, canopy, solitary palm bearing up to 15 - 17 leaves in the crown. Stem to 35 m tall, 15 - 29 (- 35) cm in diam.; surface slightly rough, brownish grey leaf scars prominent; internodes 12 - 14 cm basally, decreasing to 1 cm distally. Leaf sheath 1.2 - 1.5 m long, pale brownish white, moderately to densely lepidote- tomentose; crownshaft 1.3 - 1.5 m long, about 25 - 40 cm wide, dull-green; petiole 3.5 - 4.5 cm long, shallowly concave on adaxial surface; rachis 3 - 4 m long, with abundant matted dark brown scales on adaxial surface, densely lepidote-tomentose on the abaxial surface, becoming brownish with age; leaflets 111 - 120 each side of rachis, 2.5 - 3 cm apart, in one plane, pendulous, middle leaflet 100 - 112 x 2.3 - 2.5 cm, linear, tapering acutely and bifid at the apex, adaxial surface dark green with dark brown twisted scales near the base of the pinnae and along adaxial surface of midrib, abaxial surface dull green and with some lepidote tomentum. Inflorescence massive, 55 - 130 cm long, with a spread of 1 - 1.5 m, divaricate, branched to 3 orders, primary branches 16, 45 - 75 cm long, with basal pair of primary branches strongly recurved; prophyll 65 - 70 x 10 - 18 cm, dark green, with dense greyish brown indumentum; peduncle 8 - 10 cm long, 7- 10 cm in diam., greyish with some tomentum; robust rachillae 45 - 75 cm long, 4.9 - 7.3 mm in diameter, greyish green; flowers sunken in shallow pits formed by rachilla bracts. Staminate flower symmetric, greenish, 6.5 - 7 mm long, 6.5 - 6.8 mm in diam. at anthesis; sepals 3 - 3.1 x 3.1 - 3.3 mm, broadly elliptic; petals 6 -6.5 x 6.5 - 6.7 mm, broadly elliptic, glabrous; stamens 3.3- 4 mm long, filaments 2- 2.5 mm long, connate at the base, yellowish, anthers 2.1 - 2.3 mm long, 0.9 - 1 mm in diam., elliptic; pistillode conical, 2.3 - 2.5 mm long, 1.2 - 1.3 mm in diam. Pistillate flower slightly asymmetric, 4.3 - 4.7 mm long, 7.6 - 7.9 mm in diam., borne throughout the rachillae; sepals 3.9 - 4 x 3.7 - 3.8 mm, rounded; petals 4.3 - 4.4 x 2.2 - 2.4 mm, elliptic; staminodes usually 4, lobes 0.8 - 0.9 x 0.7 - 0.8 mm; gynoecium 4.3 - 4.9 mm long, 4.2 - 4.5 mm in diam., ovoid. Fruit 30 - 35 mm long, 16 - 18 mm in diam., asymmetric ellipsoid-ovoid, yellow when immature, becoming red at maturity; cupule of persistent perianth 11 - 12 mm long. Seed 21 - 31 mm long, 14 - 16 mm in diam., ellipsoid-ovoid, brown; conspicuous impression over the hilum, testa brown. (R. Banka and W.J. Baker. 2004)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.
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''Rhopaloblaste ceramica'' is the largest of all the species in the genus and is easily distinguished by its large asymmetrical fruits, with a substantial cupule of persistent perianth, and the inflorescence branched to three orders with very robust rachillae. Rhopaloblaste ceramica was the first of the species of Rhopaloblaste to be described, based on material collected in 1860 by Teijsmann and de Vriese from Ceram in the Moluccas. Miquel originally placed it in the genus Bentinckia as B. ceramica Miq. Ten years later it was moved to Cyrtostachys (C. ceramica (Miq.) H. Wendl.). In describing the genus Rhopaloblaste in 1876,
 
''Rhopaloblaste ceramica'' is the largest of all the species in the genus and is easily distinguished by its large asymmetrical fruits, with a substantial cupule of persistent perianth, and the inflorescence branched to three orders with very robust rachillae. Rhopaloblaste ceramica was the first of the species of Rhopaloblaste to be described, based on material collected in 1860 by Teijsmann and de Vriese from Ceram in the Moluccas. Miquel originally placed it in the genus Bentinckia as B. ceramica Miq. Ten years later it was moved to Cyrtostachys (C. ceramica (Miq.) H. Wendl.). In describing the genus Rhopaloblaste in 1876,
 
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Scheffer named R. hexandra based on cultivated material in Bogor Botanic Garden that allegedly originated from Bacan, also in the Moluccas. Beccari (1885, Martelli 1935) considered R. hexandra and B. ceramica as synonymous, a conclusion that was accepted by Burret (1928), who was responsible for combining the earlier epithet with Scheffer's genus Rhopaloblaste, and Moore (1970). An old specimen, annotated as R. hexandra and said to be from Bacan, but lacking a date, is in the Bogor herbarium. It cannot be interpreted as the type because Scheffer did not refer to the material in the protologue and there is inadequate information on the specimen for us to infer that he had access to it. However, the placement of R. hexandra in synonymy with R. ceramica cannot be disputed on account of the excellent photograph and diagnostic plate published with the protologue. In the absence of original material, the diagnostic plate is designated as lectotype here. Subsequently, Burret (1940) described R. micrantha based on two collections from Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea, Clemens 7987 from Kalasa and Clemens 8297 (type) from Boana. These specimens were presumably destroyed in Berlin and duplicates have not been located. Moore (1970) recognised that R. micrantha Burret was a later homonym of Rhopaloblaste micrantha (Becc.) Hook. f. ex B. D. Jacks. (=Ptychosperma micranthum Becc.) and accordingly published a new name R. dyscrita H. E. Moore (dyskritos = doubtful). He was unable to link the concept to any earlier name because authentic material of the Clemens collection was not available and he was unable to match Burret's description with the species that he knew. Burret's protologue of R. dyscrita, as R. micrantha Burret, suggests that it closely resembled R. ceramica, differing only in its spreading pinnae and smaller staminate flowers. After examining the material of R. ceramica, including recent collections made since the publication of Moore's work, and comparing it with the description of R. dyscrita, we are tentatively placing R. dyscrita in synonymy with R. ceramica, because both have large fruits and robust inflorescences branching to three orders. If this synonymy proves to be correct, it dramatically alters the distribution pattern of the species as understood from material named with certainty, extending its range considerably to the east. New material is required from the type locality of the Clemens collections to confirm this decision. (R. Banka and W.J. Baker. 2004)/Palmweb.
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Scheffer named R. hexandra based on cultivated material in Bogor Botanic Garden that allegedly originated from Bacan, also in the Moluccas. Beccari (1885, Martelli 1935) considered R. hexandra and B. ceramica as synonymous, a conclusion that was accepted by Burret (1928), who was responsible for combining the earlier epithet with Scheffer's genus Rhopaloblaste, and Moore (1970). An old specimen, annotated as R. hexandra and said to be from Bacan, but lacking a date, is in the Bogor herbarium. It cannot be interpreted as the type because Scheffer did not refer to the material in the protologue and there is inadequate information on the specimen for us to infer that he had access to it. However, the placement of R. hexandra in synonymy with R. ceramica cannot be disputed on account of the excellent photograph and diagnostic plate published with the protologue. In the absence of original material, the diagnostic plate is designated as lectotype here. Subsequently, Burret (1940) described R. micrantha based on two collections from Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea, Clemens 7987 from Kalasa and Clemens 8297 (type) from Boana. These specimens were presumably destroyed in Berlin and duplicates have not been located. Moore (1970) recognised that R. micrantha Burret was a later homonym of Rhopaloblaste micrantha (Becc.) Hook. f. ex B. D. Jacks. (=Ptychosperma micranthum Becc.) and accordingly published a new name R. dyscrita H. E. Moore (dyskritos = doubtful). He was unable to link the concept to any earlier name because authentic material of the Clemens collection was not available and he was unable to match Burret's description with the species that he knew. Burret's protologue of R. dyscrita, as R. micrantha Burret, suggests that it closely resembled R. ceramica, differing only in its spreading pinnae and smaller staminate flowers. After examining the material of R. ceramica, including recent collections made since the publication of Moore's work, and comparing it with the description of R. dyscrita, we are tentatively placing R. dyscrita in synonymy with R. ceramica, because both have large fruits and robust inflorescences branching to three orders. If this synonymy proves to be correct, it dramatically alters the distribution pattern of the species as understood from material named with certainty, extending its range considerably to the east. New material is required from the type locality of the Clemens collections to confirm this decision. (R. Banka and W.J. Baker. 2004)/Palmweb.
 
==Culture==
 
==Culture==
 
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{{read more bottom}}
 
==Comments and Curiosities==
 
==Comments and Curiosities==
 
Uses: The shoot apex is edible. The wood is used for arrowheads and floorboards for houses. Occasionally cultivated as an ornamental.
 
Uses: The shoot apex is edible. The wood is used for arrowheads and floorboards for houses. Occasionally cultivated as an ornamental.
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"Attractive sillouhette palm from the Mollucas islands, where it grows to 60' tall.. has 10' leaves with 3' long pendant leaflets. Crownshaft supposedly silver, but who can tell, the palms are so tall." (Geoff Stein)
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''Rhopaloblaste ceramica''; Tropical rainforests on the island of Ceram in eastern Indonesia are home to this elegant, slender palm that sports a smooth, trunk to about 15 m (50 ft.) tall, a long crownshaft and stiffly spreading leaves with long, pendulous leaflets. It is an easy and fast growing palm for the tropics and quite popular in cultivation in southern Asia. (RPS.com)
 
<center><gallery caption="IMAGE GALLERY" perrow="" widths="" heights="">
 
<center><gallery caption="IMAGE GALLERY" perrow="" widths="" heights="">
 
image:F94bd23e-5edd-4ed2-a6c1-0224d09fcee8.jpg|Lae International Hotel, Morobe, Papua New Guinea. Photo by Dr. William J. Baker, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
 
image:F94bd23e-5edd-4ed2-a6c1-0224d09fcee8.jpg|Lae International Hotel, Morobe, Papua New Guinea. Photo by Dr. William J. Baker, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
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image:9d251eb0-7d5d-43d3-948e-2d49b1c56cf1.jpg|Muni, West Papua, Indonesia. Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
 
image:9d251eb0-7d5d-43d3-948e-2d49b1c56cf1.jpg|Muni, West Papua, Indonesia. Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
 
image:697d740d-02ff-4f11-995a-e240e7246763.jpg|Muni, West Papua, Indonesia. Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
 
image:697d740d-02ff-4f11-995a-e240e7246763.jpg|Muni, West Papua, Indonesia. Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
image:Rhopaloblaste-ceramica54.jpg|Hawaiian Tropical Botanical Garden, edric.
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image:Rhopaloblaste-ceramica54.jpg|Hawaiian Tropical Botanical Garden.
image:
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image:StarlingAG-seram-palm-fr-wyc-31.jpg|"My pair of Ceram Palms (Rhopaloblaste ceramica) have fruited again. The fruits are now ripe and are attracting birds. A large flock of juvenile Asian Glossy Starlings (Aplonis panayensis) suddenly converged onto the palms. Most were just perching on the fronds and fruit branches, a few pecking on the ripe fruits." Photo by YC Wee.
image:
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image:StarlingAG-jv-ceram-palm-wyc-5.jpg|"Something must have frightened them as the entire flock suddenly flew off." Photo by YC Wee
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image:PlantainSquirrel-seram-palm-fr-wyc-1.jpg|"A Plaintain Squirrel (Callosciurus notatus singapurensis) was seen among the starlings eating the fruits. Photo by YC Wee
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image:ImperialPigeonP-ceram-palm-wyc-03.jpg|"A flock of 8-10 white pigeons with black wing feathers and tails pecking on the fruits on the ''Rhopaloblaste ceramica'' palm. These were Pied Imperial-pigeons (Ducula bicolor). Photo by YC Wee
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File:ImperialPigeonP-ceram-palm-wyc-011.jpg|"A flock of 8-10 white pigeons with black wing feathers and tails pecking on the fruits on the ''Rhopaloblaste ceramica'' palm. These were Pied Imperial-pigeons (Ducula bicolor). Photo by YC Wee
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image:ea0d91.jpg|Lyon Arboretum, University of Hawaii-Manoa, Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii. Photo by Geoff Stein.
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image:7d9c51.jpg|Hawaii. Photo by Geoff Stein.
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image:a9ea21.jpg|Hawaii. Photo by Geoff Stein.
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image:f872d5.jpg|Hawaii. Photo by Geoff Stein.
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image:10feb'11,rhopaloblaste cu.jpg|Malaysia. Photo by Mahmud Yussop.
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image:10feb'11,rhopaloblaste ms.jpg|Malaysia. Photo by Mahmud Yussop.
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image:10feb'11,rhopaloblaste.jpg|Malaysia. Photo by Mahmud Yussop.
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image:Rhopaloblaste_ceramica_specimen.jpg|Herminio Garden. Photo by Paul Craft.
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File:Rhopaloblaste_ceramica_leafcrowns.jpg|Singapore. Photo by Paul Craft.
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File:P1080240.JPG.def3153e121fe27953f58e5efec345c5.JPG|Sri lanka. Photo by Ahamed.
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File:P1080244.JPG.9b32312ff214854d6139417d681a6d62.JPG|Sri lanka. Photo by Ahamed.
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File:P1080243.JPG.88573095e15a13a727c850b3c45765d7.JPG|Sri lanka. Photo by Ahamed.
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File:P1080242.JPG.e391b3dfe0173211d7556823ef1769c4.JPG|Sri lanka. Photo by Ahamed.
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File:P1080241.JPG.827b81560f1fd2ae6d57d3aab4d47f8a.JPG|Sri lanka. Photo by Ahamed.
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File:10420445793_b04f2dcedc_k.jpg|Putrajaya Botanical Gardens, Putrajaya, Malaysia. (Taman Botani Putrajaya). Photo by Ahmad Fuad Morad.
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File:10420291966_4411e18c78_k.jpg|Putrajaya Botanical Gardens, Putrajaya, Malaysia. (Taman Botani Putrajaya). Photo by Ahmad Fuad Morad.
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File:10420268074_9c17f13b07_k.jpg|Putrajaya Botanical Gardens, Putrajaya, Malaysia. (Taman Botani Putrajaya). Photo by Ahmad Fuad Morad.
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File:10420293616_b336400868_k.jpg|Putrajaya Botanical Gardens, Putrajaya, Malaysia. (Taman Botani Putrajaya). Photo by Ahmad Fuad Morad.
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File:10420449463_18456d1617_k.jpg|Putrajaya Botanical Gardens, Putrajaya, Malaysia. (Taman Botani Putrajaya). Photo by Ahmad Fuad Morad.
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File:10420304565_7efd0ca6a4_k.jpg|Putrajaya Botanical Gardens, Putrajaya, Malaysia. (Taman Botani Putrajaya). Photo by Ahmad Fuad Morad.
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File:10420451003_7cc97f4469_k.jpg|Putrajaya Botanical Gardens, Putrajaya, Malaysia. (Taman Botani Putrajaya). Photo by Ahmad Fuad Morad.
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File:10420296986_5e53a6b489_k.jpg|Putrajaya Botanical Gardens, Putrajaya, Malaysia. (Taman Botani Putrajaya). Photo by Ahmad Fuad Morad.
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File:10420297546_99707d9d32_k.jpg|Putrajaya Botanical Gardens, Putrajaya, Malaysia. (Taman Botani Putrajaya). Photo by Ahmad Fuad Morad.
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File:10420306845_083dc70b9e_k.jpg|Putrajaya Botanical Gardens, Putrajaya, Malaysia. (Taman Botani Putrajaya). Photo by Ahmad Fuad Morad.
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File:10420453503_3f14384a02_k.jpg|Putrajaya Botanical Gardens, Putrajaya, Malaysia. (Taman Botani Putrajaya). Photo by Ahmad Fuad Morad.
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File:10420274614_793ded4c30_k.jpg|Putrajaya Botanical Gardens, Putrajaya, Malaysia. (Taman Botani Putrajaya). Photo by Ahmad Fuad Morad.
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File:10420456333_e8a7d944c6_k.jpg|Putrajaya Botanical Gardens, Putrajaya, Malaysia. (Taman Botani Putrajaya). Photo by Ahmad Fuad Morad.
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File:10420277704_f0461ab7ce_k.jpg|Putrajaya Botanical Gardens, Putrajaya, Malaysia. (Taman Botani Putrajaya). Photo by Ahmad Fuad Morad.
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File:10420303235_9c63605be8_k.jpg|Putrajaya Botanical Gardens, Putrajaya, Malaysia. (Taman Botani Putrajaya). Photo by Ahmad Fuad Morad.
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File:1516132_1734549703498212_997668356_n.jpg|Singapore. Photo by zqqyjml
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File:12819063_620103728141206_1340989485_n.jpg|Singapore. Photo by zqqyjml
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image:Rhopaloblaste_ceramica1.jpg|SINGAPORE: Botanical Garden, January 1964.
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image:post-6735-0-00760700-1352833607.jpg|Singapore. Photo by Philippe.
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File:2290175085_a25602ffeb.jpg
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image:RhoCer.jpg|Photo-Rare Palm seeds.com
 
image:
 
image:
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image:a.1.jpg|Photo by YC Wee
 
</gallery></center>
 
</gallery></center>
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
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*[http://www.calflora.net/botanicalnames/pronunciation.html MODERN BOTANICAL LATIN]
 
*[http://www.calflora.net/botanicalnames/pronunciation.html MODERN BOTANICAL LATIN]
 
*[http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/Pronunciation.htm "Just To Be Clear"]
 
*[http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/Pronunciation.htm "Just To Be Clear"]
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*https://www.flickr.com/photos/adaduitokla/10420445793/in/photostream/
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*http://www.besgroup.org/2006/05/02/how-birds-handle-the-larger-ceram-palm-fruits/
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*http://www.besgroup.org/2013/12/04/juvenile-asian-glossy-starlings-eating-rhopaloblaste-ceramica-fruits/
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*http://www.besgroup.org/2012/12/21/pied-imperial-pigeon-feeding-on-rhopaloblaste-ceramica-fruits/
 
==References==
 
==References==
 
Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.
 
Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.
  
Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos, edric.
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Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos.
  
Special thanks to [http://palmweb.org/?q=node/2 Palmweb.org], Dr. John Dransfield, Dr. Bill Baker & team, for their volumes of information and photos, edric.
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Special thanks to [http://palmweb.org/?q=node/2 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.
 
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.
  
 
Banka, R. & Baker, W.J. 2004. A Monograph of the Genus Rhopaloblaste (Arecaceae). Kew Bulletin, Vol. 59, No. 1, pp. 47-60.
 
Banka, R. & Baker, W.J. 2004. A Monograph of the Genus Rhopaloblaste (Arecaceae). Kew Bulletin, Vol. 59, No. 1, pp. 47-60.
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{{SpeciesListBackLink}}
 
{{SpeciesListBackLink}}
 
[[Category:RHOPALOBLASTE|ceramica]]
 
[[Category:RHOPALOBLASTE|ceramica]]

Latest revision as of 10:08, 21 February 2017

Rhopaloblaste
(roh-pah-loh-BLAHS-teh)
ceramica (seh-rah-MEE-kah)
Fc6e70bc-3aa6-4dfe-9a3f-f9ba66d9be3b.jpg
PNG National Botanic Garden, Morobe, Papua New Guinea. Photo by Dr. William J. Baker, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Rhopaloblaste
(roh-pah-loh-BLAHS-teh)
Species:
ceramica (seh-rah-MEE-kah)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Oceania
Oceania.gif
Morphology
Habit: Solitary
Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Ahad (Buru dialect), Henahena (Ternate dialect), Ogulubenge (Tobaro dialect, Akelamo Oba, Maluku), Ceram Palm.

Habitat and Distribution

Rhopaloblaste ceramica Is found on; Maluku, and New Guinea. Widespread
Lae International Hotel, Morobe, Papua New Guinea. Photo by Dr. William J. Baker, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
from Halmahera and Buru in the Moluccas through to Ceram, then to mainland New Guinea. In Papua New Guinea, known only with certainty from Sandaun and East Sepik Provinces in the north-western part of the country. However, the lost type of the dubious synonym R. dyscrita originates from Morobe Province in the east. Well drained lowland to lower montane primary rain forests. In secondary rain forests it is found in old garden areas, on broken coral to deep, loose, porous, black volcanic soil. Also on alluvial flats in deep clay soil. From 35 to 900 m above sea level. (R. Banka and W.J. Baker. 2004)/Palmweb.

Description

Robust, canopy, solitary palm bearing up to 15 - 17 leaves in the crown. Stem to 35 m tall, 15 - 29 (- 35) cm in diam.; surface slightly rough, brownish grey leaf scars prominent; internodes 12 - 14 cm basally, decreasing to 1 cm distally. Leaf sheath 1.2 - 1.5 m long, pale brownish white, moderately to densely lepidote- tomentose; crownshaft 1.3 - 1.5 m long, about 25 - 40 cm wide, dull-green; petiole 3.5 - 4.5 cm long, shallowly concave on adaxial surface; rachis 3 - 4 m long, with abundant matted dark brown scales on adaxial surface, densely lepidote-tomentose on the abaxial surface, becoming brownish with age; leaflets 111 - 120 each side of rachis, 2.5 - 3 cm apart, in one plane, pendulous, middle leaflet 100 - 112 x 2.3 - 2.5 cm, linear, tapering acutely and bifid at the apex, adaxial surface dark green with dark brown twisted scales near the base of the pinnae and along adaxial surface of midrib, abaxial surface dull green and with some lepidote tomentum. Inflorescence massive, 55 - 130 cm long, with a spread of 1 - 1.5 m, divaricate, branched to 3 orders, primary branches 16, 45 - 75 cm long, with basal pair of primary branches strongly recurved; prophyll 65 - 70 x 10 - 18 cm, dark green, with dense greyish brown indumentum; peduncle 8 - 10 cm long, 7- 10 cm in diam., greyish with some tomentum; robust rachillae 45 - 75 cm long, 4.9 - 7.3 mm in diameter, greyish green; flowers sunken in shallow pits formed by rachilla bracts. Staminate flower symmetric, greenish, 6.5 - 7 mm long, 6.5 - 6.8 mm in diam. at anthesis; sepals 3 - 3.1 x 3.1 - 3.3 mm, broadly elliptic; petals 6 -6.5 x 6.5 - 6.7 mm, broadly elliptic, glabrous; stamens 3.3- 4 mm long, filaments 2- 2.5 mm long, connate at the base, yellowish, anthers 2.1 - 2.3 mm long, 0.9 - 1 mm in diam., elliptic; pistillode conical, 2.3 - 2.5 mm long, 1.2 - 1.3 mm in diam. Pistillate flower slightly asymmetric, 4.3 - 4.7 mm long, 7.6 - 7.9 mm in diam., borne throughout the rachillae; sepals 3.9 - 4 x 3.7 - 3.8 mm, rounded; petals 4.3 - 4.4 x 2.2 - 2.4 mm, elliptic; staminodes usually 4, lobes 0.8 - 0.9 x 0.7 - 0.8 mm; gynoecium 4.3 - 4.9 mm long, 4.2 - 4.5 mm in diam., ovoid. Fruit 30 - 35 mm long, 16 - 18 mm in diam., asymmetric ellipsoid-ovoid, yellow when immature, becoming red at maturity; cupule of persistent perianth 11 - 12 mm long. Seed 21 - 31 mm long, 14 - 16 mm in diam., ellipsoid-ovoid, brown; conspicuous impression over the hilum, testa brown. (R. Banka and W.J. Baker. 2004)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.

Rhopaloblaste ceramica is the largest of all the species in the genus and is easily distinguished by its large asymmetrical fruits, with a substantial cupule of persistent perianth, and the inflorescence branched to three orders with very robust rachillae. Rhopaloblaste ceramica was the first of the species of Rhopaloblaste to be described, based on material collected in 1860 by Teijsmann and de Vriese from Ceram in the Moluccas. Miquel originally placed it in the genus Bentinckia as B. ceramica Miq. Ten years later it was moved to Cyrtostachys (C. ceramica (Miq.) H. Wendl.). In describing the genus Rhopaloblaste in 1876,

Comments and Curiosities

Uses: The shoot apex is edible. The wood is used for arrowheads and floorboards for houses. Occasionally cultivated as an ornamental.

"Attractive sillouhette palm from the Mollucas islands, where it grows to 60' tall.. has 10' leaves with 3' long pendant leaflets. Crownshaft supposedly silver, but who can tell, the palms are so tall." (Geoff Stein)

Rhopaloblaste ceramica; Tropical rainforests on the island of Ceram in eastern Indonesia are home to this elegant, slender palm that sports a smooth, trunk to about 15 m (50 ft.) tall, a long crownshaft and stiffly spreading leaves with long, pendulous leaflets. It is an easy and fast growing palm for the tropics and quite popular in cultivation in southern Asia. (RPS.com)

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.

Banka, R. & Baker, W.J. 2004. A Monograph of the Genus Rhopaloblaste (Arecaceae). Kew Bulletin, Vol. 59, No. 1, pp. 47-60.


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

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