Palms   Heterospathe longipes

Conservation Status: The palm has no known cultural uses and is currently classified as Endangered. Synonyms: Alsmithia longipes Distribution & Habitat: Endemic to Fiji Islands. Their habitat is generally understory and between 100 to 600 meters elevation in high rainfall areas of Vanua Levu and Taveuni Islands. Description: Most mature palms sighted were around 5 to 7 meters tall with trunks of about 10 cm bearing irregular prominent nodes. The fronds numbered 8 to 10 with long petioles and evenly spaced glossy green leaflets. The new or emerging fronds are a pinkish-red colour that darkens after some days to a bronze-red. The inflorescence is interfoliar and produces a fruit of 2.5 to 3.5 cm that is crimson-red when ripe. Cultivation: This palm is tropical in its requirements, but performs well in cultivation when given some shade when young and regular water.

Figure 1. H. longipes in habitat, at about 230m elevation.

Figure 2. H. longipes trunk.

Figure 3. H. longipes unripe infructescence.

Contributed by:

Jim Valentine (Text & Figure 1,2&3)

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