Niuyabia

[fiji jim]

Hi All,

Pindo, Jose requested some pics of this palm.

This coconut variety is not common here but I know of two locations apart from one I have planted at our place.

The nuts appear the same as other coconut varieties but the leaf structure is the only difference.

Fijians name it Niuyabia as in Niu being the generic name for all coconut trees and also many of the native palms. Confusing but simple.

Yabia is the Fijian name for arrowroot. I do not understand the connection.

[Walter John]

a collectors palm for sure.

[fiji jim]

Here are pics of a small one planted next to our driveway.

It is two years old from being collected as a freshly fallen nut.

Apart from dwarf varieties this is the only coconut that I have planted here as they are all too common around our parts and also cause too much hazardous litter.

[fiji jim]

The small palm recently produced another plant from the same nut.

First time that I have seen this. I guess that seed had two embryos.

Has anyone had this happen with palm seed before?

This is not known as a clumping or multiple stem palm.

[Jeff in St Pete]

Jim, thanks for posting the photos. I've spotted a few coconuts similar to these in Costa Rica, but they are hard to find. I always thought it was a genetic abnormality.

[fiji jim]

Jose,

If you need the original 8 MB pics I could email them to you.

These were greatly reduced to save time.

Regards,

Jim

[amazon exotics]

Theres one of those palms here in Ft Myers and we were wondering what it was. Thanks for the info.

[pindo]

Hello Jim

Many, many thanks for your reply and images

I have some doubts & questions:

1- Is a variety of coconut, is a genetic abnormality or is caused by any transmissible virus ?

2- All palms germinated from seeds of Niuyabia, are also Niuyabia? I mean if they retain the characteristics of leaves

3- Niuyabia grows only in closed areas of the largest island of Fiji or also in other islands of Melanesia?

4-"Yabia", refers to the shape of the tail of the arrows present in the leaf?

5- have you any literature on this subject?

Friendly

Jose

[pindo]

Jose,

If you need the original 8 MB pics I could email them to you.

These were greatly reduced to save time.

Regards,

Jim

Thanks Jim

8 Mb is too great, maybe 2 Mb, or so, is Ok for me

Not worry, when you have time ....

All the best for you

Jose

[garrin]

The small palm recently produced another plant from the same nut.

First time that I have seen this. I guess that seed had two embryos.

Has anyone had this happen with palm seed before?

This is not known as a clumping or multiple stem palm.

There is a coconut like this here in Hilo, Hawai'i in a bayfront park. It seems most likely that all in that area were planted from the same seed source, so I would think it is just a variant. But if there is a reproducing population of these in Fiji, that puts my supposition in doubt.

I have seen multiple plants from a single cocosoid seed a number of times. Years ago Fairchild Garden in Miami, FL, had a mature triple coconut clump from a single seed. Interestingly, each of them succumbed to Lethal Yellowing at different times, but it took them all in a couple of years. I had a number of Parajubaea cocoides seeds I collected in Ecuador produce doubles from a single seed.

Garrin

[pindo]

Hello Garrin

Nice to hear from you.

Parajubaea torallyi var. Torallyii, P. torallyi var, microcarpa, and Butia spp also have usually multiple germination from a single seed.

I still I can't understand this variation in the leaves of the coconut

Do you have any literature on this subject?

Could you confirm the cross between C. nucifera and Elaeis sp. in Singapore BG?

Best Regards

Jose

[fiji jim]

Hi,

Thanks for that info Garrin.

I do not grow other cocoides except for Butia and I believe that the reason that they can grow multiple plants from one seed is that the shell often has three separate seeds contained.

Jose,

I don't have any more information on this palm but it does seem to grow true to type as it has done so for me and also in the other two known locations. One stand is on the large island of Viti Levu and one on this island of Vanua Levu and possibly elsewhere.

This extra palm emerged from a single seed more than a year after the first one germinated.

Here is a better pic of it about 2 MB

Jim

[Al in Kona]

There is a Coconut like that also growing in a Golf Course here in Kona, west Hawaii Island (Big Island). See pics below

[Zeeth]

This is an interesting cultivar that I'd like to grow one day...

[pindo]

Thanks Garrin for your info

Thanks Jim for your information and great pics

cheers

[waykoolplantz]

Just found this thread.  Dr Dransfield explained its name as being “lazy in Fijian” 

[Krishnakumar]

On 5/6/2011 at 1:21 AM, fiji jim said:

Jose,

 

If you need the original 8 MB pics I could email them to you.

These were greatly reduced to save time.

 

Regards,

Jim

 

[ruskinPalms]

Interesting. Reminds me of Sabal “Lisa”. Some sort of genetic mutation that can happen more than once and still be viable.