Synonymy:
Bacularia palmeriana
Distribution:
Australia. North-east Queensland. Confined to
Mts. Bartle Frere and Bellenden-Ker, in rainforest, on
granite, metamorphics and occasionally on shallow basalts
overlying metamorphics, from 300 - 1600m elevation.
Derivation of Name:
Named for Edward Palmer, M. L. A.,
of whom Bailey wrote "indebted for much useful information as
to the uses made by the aboriginals of our indigenous plants".
Description:
Clustering, small palm. Stems 1-6, to 3 m tall, 5-20 nun
diameter; internodes elongate, green; crown with 8-12 leaves.
Leaves regularly segmented with united pinnae, most often
with two segments either side of rachis, infrequently simply
bi~d, segments broadly adnate to the rachis, or regularly and
finely pinnate; petiole 5. 5 - 13 cm long; pinnae 2-24 per
leaf, dull to semi-glossy dark green above, lighter green
below; midrib prominent on both surfaces, veins numerous and
prominent on both surfaces, terminal pinnae broader than
laterals; lamina, when backlit under 10x magnification, has
numerous circular clear 'cells' to 0.1mm wide linearly
parallel to midrib and veins. Inflorescence to 60cm long.
Staminate flowers bullet-shaped in bud, glabrous, to 3mm
long by 2mm wide; petals apically rounded, green at anthesis,
not widely opening, deeply striate in the dried state;
stamens 6-9; connective not extending beyond the anthers;
anthers oblong. Fruit elongate/cylindrical, 10-15mm long by
5-7 mm wide, yellow or red at maturity; epicarp smooth or
moderately rugose. Seed elongate/ellipsoid.
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Figure 1. L. palmeriana
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