Burretiokentia hapala

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Burretiokentia
(bur-ret-ee-oh-kent-EE-ah)
hapala (hah-PAH-lah)
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Vallée des palmiers, New Caledonia.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Burretiokentia
(bur-ret-ee-oh-kent-EE-ah)
Species:
hapala (hah-PAH-lah)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Oceania
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Morphology
Habit: Solitary
Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
None.

Habitat and Distribution

Burretiokentia hapala is endemic to New Caledonia. This species occurs in the north of Grande Terre (main island). habitat In rain forest, on slopes and in gallery forest.
Vallée des palmiers, New Caledonia.
Substrate: On ground more or less steep slopes, or alluvial sedimentary origin, rarely mixed with limestone contributions. (From the French)

Description

Palm to 15 m tall. Trunk 10 to 17 cm. in diameter with conspicuous leaf scars, sometimes with adventitious stilt roots at the base. Leaves unfolded, average ten or so, with a short petiole tomentose, sheath 60 to 100 cm., olive-green covered with tomentum from brown to a whitish color. Phenology (flower) Inflorescences, 2-6, spreading and drooping, covered with a tomentum thick, woolly, whitish to becoming brown with age. Fruit ovoid, slightly ellipsoid of 15 x 8-9 mm., purple at maturity. (From the French) Editing by edric.

Detailed Scientific Description

Stem solitary, dark green with prominent pale nodes, erect, to 10 m. high, about 7.3 cm. in diam. near enlarged base, about 5.7 cm. in diam. breast high, the internodes about 12.5 cm. long. Leaves about 10 in the crown, spreading; sheath about 1 m. long, olive-green (but inner sheaths pinkish before exposure), densely covered with gray-brown tomentose scales, or brown-puncticulate where scales have been worn or rubbed off, with prominent oblique lines from petiole base toward the line opposite the petiole; petiole very short, about 5 cm. long above dry margin of sheath, green, concave above, convex below, where clothed with brown-centered, pale-margined, waxy scales or merely brown-puncticulate from persistent scale bases; rachis about 2.4 m. long, lower surface rounded and rather densely brown-puncticulate or with brownish-tomentose scales where protected, upper surface channelled with marginal grooves near base, to deltoid at apex and rather densely pale-tomentose scaly or brown-puncticulate: pinnae about 40 on each side, regularly arranged, narrowly elliptic in general outline, tapered to a strongly reduplicate base and an obliquely acute apex, dull green, irregularly and sparsely brown-puncticulate above, paler and densely brown-membranous-lepidote or brown-puncticulate below, the midnerve prominent and elevated above, clothed below, at least basally, with shining, brown, basifixed or medifixed, lacerate, membranous scales, secondary nerves about 5 on each side, prominent below and clothed basally with scales like those of the midnerve, tertiary nerves numerous, lower pinnae about 5.5 dm. long, 2 cm. wide, median pinnae about 9 dm. long, 5 cm. wide, apical pinnae about 3.3 dm. long, 3 cm. wide. Inflorescences 3-4 (in type) among the leaves, about twice as broad as long, densely pale-brown tomentose in all parts except at the base below the insertion of the first bract; bracts 2, green in bud (not obtained); peduncle very short, about 5-6 cm. long; rachis about 13-16 cm. long to base of terminal flowering portion; branches about 13-14, the lowest branches spreading, nearly as long as entire inflorescence, with short peduncular portion, divided into about 7 rachillae to about 35 cm. long, 14 mm. in diam. (in staminate bud). median branches with 2-3 rachillae, the apical 6-7 rachillae undivided, to about 34 cm. long, 14 mm. in diam. (including a central axis 4-5 mm. in diam. clothed with intermixed brown and white hairs to 5 mm. long). Staminate flowers 5-5.5 mm. long, essentially symmetric; sepals 2.5-3 mm. long, about half as long as petals, broadly imbricate, glabrous except minutely fimbriate margin; petals about 3.5 mm. long; stamens 6, filaments sharply inflexed at the apex in bud, anthers about 2.5 mm. long with sterile portion in center of each locule laterally; pistillode angled-columnar, truncate, about one-half as long as stamens: pistillate flowers (from a flower remaining on an old inflorescence branch) ca. 6 mm. long; sepals about 3 mm. long, broadly imbricate and rounded; petals about 6 mm. long; staminodes apparently 3, dentiform. Fruit (not completely mature, from Lavoix 25) ovoid, 16 mm. long, 9 mm. in diam., drying granulose-roughened; stigmatic residue exactly apical; endocarp (from type) 10 mm. long, 8 mm. in diam., the hilar keel about as long as the lateral processes, the surface more or less roughened, the lateral processes flanking a dorsal groove; seed shaped like the endocarp, 8 mm. high, 6.5 mm. in diam.; endosperm homogeneous; embryo basal. (H. E. Moore Jr. 1969)/Palmweb.

Burretiokentia hapala (from hapalus - soft to the touch) was thought at first to be a species of Basselinia, despite its robust habit, because of the very densely woolly rachillae in which the staminate buds appear to be sunken. The actual axis is, in fact, rather slender, measuring only 4-5 mm. in diameter, but the long hairs which obscure the axis and all but the tips of the flowers make it appear much thicker. It is the long hairs that suggest the specific epithet. Examination of staminate buds and dissection of one fruit recovered from a fallen inflorescence, together with additional immature fruits from Lavoix 25, show that the correct genus for this striking palm is the previously monotypic Burretiokentia, This second species is readily distinguished from Burretiokentia vieillardii by the woolly rather than glabrous rachillae; by the fruit which is ovoid and attenuate toward the apex (when not perfectly mature) rather than nearly globose when fresh; and by the endocarp and seed with the adaxial keel higher than the lateral ridges rather than lower. (H. E. Moore Jr. 1969)/Palmweb.

Culture

Southern California Experience: This New Caledonian palm is easily the easiest Burretiokentia to grow here in California (though limited experiences with dumasii and grandiflora so far)... and probably one of the easiest of all the New Caledonian palms. It is slow (as all New Caledonian palms are here), but not nearly as slow as almost all the others. If given plenty of shade and wind protection, as well as water and rich, draining soil, this palm is a pretty easy grow here in Southern California, tolerating temps into the high 20sF/-2.7C, and sometimes as low as 25 F/-3.8 C (though will burn pretty badly at that temp). My 5 gal seedling reliably produced 2-3 leaves a year (very fast!) and I did not have a single problem with it in 9 years despite highs in the low 100's F/37.7 C, and lows in the mid 20's F/-3.8 C. But mine was growing under some canopy and never saw the direct light of day.

This palm has proved rather easy to grow in South Queensland, much more so than its sibling B. viellardii . As a seedling it requires shade and ample amounts of water, but it can quickly adapt to full sun position. It is also rather cold tolerant.

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Comments and Curiosities



  • IMAGE GALLERY

  • Fairchild Tropical Garden, Florida. Photo by Dr. William J. Baker, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.

  • Fairchild Tropical Garden, Florida. Photo by Dr. William J. Baker, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.

  • Big Island, Hawaii.

  • Floribunda Palms, Hawaii.

  • Australia.

  • Mt Warning Caldera. Nth NSW Australia. Photo by Pete.

  • Mt Warning Caldera. Nth NSW Australia. Photo by Pete.

  • Flowering in south Florida.

  • Fairchild specimen.

  • Hawaii.

  • Seeding, Hawaii.

  • Vallée des palmiers, New Caledonia.

  • Vallée des palmiers, New Caledonia.

  • Vallée des palmiers, New Caledonia.

  • Vallée des palmiers, New Caledonia.

  • Néhoué, New Caledonia.

  • Néhoué, New Caledonia.

  • Troulala, New Caledonia.

  • Néhoué, New Caledonia.

  • Néhoué, New Caledonia.

  • Néhoué, New Caledonia.

  • Néhoué, New Caledonia.

  • Vallée des palmiers, New Caledonia.

  • Vallée des palmiers, New Caledonia.

  • Néhoué, New Caledonia.

  • Néhoué, New Caledonia.

  • Vallée des palmiers, New Caledonia.

  • Vallée des palmiers, New Caledonia.

  • Vallée des palmiers, New Caledonia.

  • Vallée des palmiers, New Caledonia.

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  • New Caledonia. Photo by Rolf Kyburz.

  • New Caledonia. Photo by Rolf Kyburz.

  • New Caledonia. Photo by Rolf Kyburz.

  • New Caledonia. Photo by John Lyle.

  • New Caledonia. Photo by John Lyle.

  • New Caledonia. Photo by John Lyle.

  • Paala, New Caledonia.

  • Valle des Palmiers, New Caledonia.

  • Ho'omaluhia botanical garden, Hawaii, photo by Paul Craft.

  • In cultivation, in New Caledonia. Photo by Bryan.

  • In cultivation near Nouméa, New Caledonia. A localized area in the far north of New Caledonia. Photo by Bryan.

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  • New Caledonia, photo by Ben.

  • Thailand at the biennial. Photo by Timothy Bryan.

  • Thailand at the biennial. Photo by Timothy Bryan.

  • At Daryl O'Connors, Gold Coast Hinterland, Queensland Australia. Photo by Wal.

  • Mt Warning Caldera Nth NSW Australia. Photo by Pete.

  • Hawaii. Photo by Bill Austin.

  • At Len's place. Vista, CA. Photo by Troy Donovan.

  • Sunshine coast, Queensland, Australia. Leo Gamble's place. Photo by Paul Latzias.

  • Sunshine coast, Queensland, Australia. Leo Gamble's place. Photo by Paul Latzias.

  • Sunshine coast, Queensland, Australia. Leo Gamble's place. Photo by Paul Latzias.

  • Hawaii. Bill Austin's place. Photo by Paul Latzias.

  • Hawaii. Bill Austin's place. Photo by Paul Latzias.

  • Roma Street Parklands, Brisbane, Australia. Photo by Paul Latzias.

  • Botanic Gardens, Sydney. "I think this pesky bird is an Australian noisy miner, a species that feeds on nectar, insects and fruit. It was working over these palm flowers (or young fruits?) for a good while and I'm not sure just what it was eating." Photo by Dr. Tony Rodd.

  • Botanic Gardens, Sydney. Photo by Dr. Tony Rodd.

  • Botanic Gardens, Sydney. Photo by Dr. Tony Rodd.

  • Palermo, Sicily, Italy.Photo by Pietro Puccio.

  • Palermo, Sicily, Italy.Photo by Pietro Puccio.

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).

H. E. Moore Jr. 1969. New palms from the Pacific, II.


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

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