Livistona alfredii

Summary

Livistona alfredii, the millstream palm or millstream fan palm, is a species of flowering plant in the family Arecaceae. It is found only in the north-west of Western Australia where it is threatened by habitat loss.[1]

Livistona alfredii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Arecales
Family: Arecaceae
Tribe: Trachycarpeae
Genus: Livistona
Species:
L. alfredii
Binomial name
Livistona alfredii
Synonyms
  • Livistona mariae F.Muell.
  • Livistona lorophylla Becc.
  • Livistona alfredi F.Muell.

Description edit

Livistona alfredii has cream flowers, flowers from July to September,[3] and fruits from December to May.[4] It is a dioecious palm, growing to 12 m, with prominent leaf scars.[4] The petioles of dead leaves persist for the first metre, but shed higher up the stem.[4] Fibres in the leaf-base are prominent, coarse, and persistent.[4] The leaves are pale green-grey to glaucous on the upper surface, and light green-grey and waxy and dull on the lower surface.[4] The inflorescences are unbranched at the base, and do not extend beyond the limit of the crown, but branch up to three orders.[4] The flowers are solitary or in pairs, cylindrical in bud with triangular sepals.[4]

Distribution edit

This palm is endemic to the north-west of Western Australia.[1] It has been found in Beard's Eremaean Province in the IBRA regions of Carnarvon and Pilbara, by the edges of permanent pools.[3]

Taxonomy edit

Livistona alfredii was first formally described by Ferdinand von Mueller in 1892.[2][5]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Dowe, J.L. (1998). "Livistona alfredii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1998: e.T38594A10129605. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T38594A10129605.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Livistona alfredii". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Florabase: Livistona alfredii". Western Australian Herbarium, Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Govaerts, R. "Livistona alfredii". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  5. ^ von Mueller, F.J.H. (1892) "Note on the west Australian fan-palm". The Victorian Naturalist. 9 (7): 112.