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The recent article on the "Kentia" palm
(Walkley 1995) prompts some comments
on the discovery and naming of this popular plant.
The "Kentia" palm was first
jointly named as Kentia forsteriana
by C.
Moore and F. Mueller. The name was
based on a collection of seeds by Charles
Moore that were forwarded to Ferdinand
Mueller in Melbourne (Mueller 1870).
Mueller never visited Lord Howe Island,
and as with many of the taxa named by
him, was dependent on collections made
by others (Willis 1990). Moore, who was
Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens,
Sydney, made a brief visit to Lord Howe
Island in 1869 (Green 1994a) and undoubtedly
collected the material of this
palm, as well as
Howea belmoreana
(C.Moore & F. Muell.) Becc.,
Lepidorrhachis mooreana
(F. Muell.)
O.F. Cook and
Hedyscepe canterburyana
(C.Moore & F. Muell.) H.Wendl. & Drude,
at this time. It was not an unusual practice
for Mueller to accredit co-authorship
to others, particularly if they were botanists
of importance. Hence the correct
author citation for the "Kentia" palm is
Howea forsteriana
(C.Moore & EMuell.)
Becc.
In Green's (1994b) account the type citation
for Howea forsteriana is given as "T:
Lord Howe Island, C.Moore; holo: MEL.
Named in honour of William Forster, at
one time Senator in New South Wales."
Examination of material of Howea forsteriana
at the National Herbarium of Victoria (MEL)
found that the only material
under this name is an undated collection
by C. Moore of seeds only that also does
not have any locality data (M. Duretto,
pers. comm. May 1995). This material is
not in a red type folder at MEL but should
undoubtedly be regarded as type material
despite the lack of locality data. It should
be noted in passing that many of the taxa
named by Mueller often are difficult to
typify because of poor labelling of that period.
Finally, who was William Forster?
Mudler (1870) stated that the specific name he
chose was to honour a Senator for New
South Wales, viz. "nomen viri permagno
aestimandi Guiliehno Forster,
Neo-Cambriae digni Senatoris ibique
disciplinarum fautoris". The etymological
information is repeated both by Jones
(1991 ) and Green (1994b) but with no
further elaboration. Forster ( 1818-1882) had
in fact been Premier of New South Wales
for a short period from 1859 to 1860 and
was related to the Blaxland family of early
exploration fame (Naim et al. 1969), so is
perhaps not as obscure as the passing mentions
associated with the "Kentia" palm
would indicate.
Acknowledgements:
thanks to Marco Duretto (MEL) for locating material of
Howea forsteriana
at
that institution, and to Peter Bostock (BRI)
for commenting on this note.
References:
Green, P.S. (1994a). Norfolk Island and Lord
Howe Island. In A.J.G.Wilson (ed.), Flora of
Australia 49: 1-26. Australian Government
Publishing Service: Canberra.
Green, P.S. (1994b). Arecaceae. In
A.J.G.Wilson (ed.), Flora of Australia 49: 407-
412. Australian Government Publishing Service: Canberra.
Jones, D.L. (1991). Palms in Australia. Reed
Books Pry Ltd.: Balgowlah (New South
Wales). Mueller, F. (1870). Palmac.
Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 7: 99-
104.
Nairn, N.B., Serle, A.G. & Ward, R.G. (eds.)
(1969). Australian Dictionary of Biography.
Vol. 3: 1851-1890. Melbourne University
Press: Melbourne.
Walkley, J. (1995). Lord Howe - the home of
"Kentia". Palms & Cycads 46: 2-5.
Willis, J.H. (1990). Melbourne: a focal point
for early botanical activity. In P.S.Short (ed.),
History of Systematic Botany in Australasia.
pp. 1-5. Adstralian Systematic Botany Society Inc.: Melbourne.
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