Palms   Archonotphoenix alexandrae II

Common names:
King Palm
Northern Bangalow Palm.

Description:
Palm to 30 m tall, trunk to 30 cm in diameter and frequently with the base expanded to 50-60 cm in diameter and often 'stepped' to varying degrees. The leaves are 3-4 m long and have the pinnae orientated in a vertical plane toward the leaf apex. Crownshaft is light to mid green, often with a waxy appearance. Pinnae have silver/grey scales below and lack ramenta on the midrib below. The inflorescence usually holds the branches and rachiliae erect and rigid, though they may become pendulous as the fruit matures. Flowers are white/cream. Staminate flowers have 9-16 stamens and the filaments are not deflexed. Fruit is pink/bright red at maturity, conic-ovoid, 8-14 mm long, 6-11 mm wide. Fibres in the mesocarp are thick, flat, and usually remain tight in the dried state.

Distribution:
Queensland, from Baffle Creek [24° 20'S], just south of Gladstone, to Melville Range [14° 00'S], Cape York Peninsula, generally confined to lowland swamps but ascends the mountains to 600 m altitude in high rainfall areas.

Notes:
Two rather obscure varieties of this species have been named; A. alexandrae var. schizanthera was described by Wendland & Drude on the following differences compared to the type species: smaller inflorescence; prominent floral bracts; stamen number of 14-15; pistillode longer than the stamens; fruit slightly larger; and pinnae broader. All of these quantitative differences fit well into the accepted variability of the species. The second variety, A. alexandrae var. beatricea was described as having a prominently stepped lower trunk, though individuals with this character are commonly found in all populations of this species and even in populations of some of the other species. In the current revision of the genus, these varieties will be listed as synonyms of A. alexandrae .

Contributed by:	John Dowe
Reproduced from	PALMS & CYCADS No. 39, Apr-Jun 1993.

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