Pritchardia hillebrandii variability...Full sun/ shade?

[Paco 1]

This pictures were taken by Miguel Angel a palm enthusiast in the Canary Islands. We think this palm might be a P.hillebrandii, since is the most common Pritchardia (at least with that size) in the Islands and the rest of Spain:

Seeds:

Edited May 9, 2008 by Pacoralvarez

[Paco 1]

Yesterday I went to Kew. I took a picture of the P.hillebrandii they have there, and is clearly different, the trunk is much thiner and the leaf shape doesn´t look the same:

Kew

The Last Picture is from another P.hillebrandii growing in shade, in the Canary islands:

Is the Pritchardia on the first picture a P.hillebrandii?

Is the enviorement, for this palms so determinant that changes so much their form and shape?

Edited May 9, 2008 by Pacoralvarez

[Davidl 47]

I don't know very much about prichardias but I think it might be a P.hillebrandii. The one in Pacoralvarez pics are in shade which will cause stretching and the second pic might of been in shade before it reached above the other palms.Trunk size by itself does not always determine identity and for example I have found out coconut palms very in size depending on a number of factors including location, soil, water and I'm sure other things. Pacoralvarez may be right I hope someone else can clarify if this is truly a prichardia hillebrandii.

[DoomsDave 8,497]

Paco:

if you can take a close up of the crown of the first plant.

P. hills have lots of white fuzzy tomentum on the new leaves.

The second one appears to be a P. hill, as the tomentum is clearly visible there.

[chris.oz 43]

Yesterday I went to Kew. I took a picture of the P.hillebrandii they have there, and is clearly different, the trunk is much thiner and the leaf shape doesn´t look the same:

Kew

The Last Picture is from another P.hillebrandii growing in shade, in the Canary islands:

Is the Pritchardia on the first picture a P.hillebrandii?

Is the enviorement, for this palms so determinant that changes so much their form and shape?

Paco,

Dont take too much notice of the specimens of Pritchardia in the Palm house in Kew. The trunks of these palms are not typical, and in any case the thickness of the trunk is rarely one of the prime criteria for identification because of variation due to the environement.

Check for fruit and seed size. From memory the P. hillebrandii fruit size is about 15 mm diameter and the seeds are about 10 mm and spherical. Seed size, the flower structure and the coating on the back of the leaves are the main characteristics you can use to ID these palms.

[Paco 1]

Guys!! thanks for your comments.

-Dave I think Miguel Angel will try to get some more pictures of the leaf detail. But it seems like if it has some tomentum, is hillebrandii the only species with this tomentum? or is the one that has more quantity of it?.

- Chris!! I don´t know the size of the fruit and seed yet, I´m about to receive some seeds of that palm. I´ll ask anyway.

Are Pritchardias easy to hibrydize? Do they show more vigorosity than the parents? Any Hybrid between P. pacifica and a Hawaiian species?

Just wondering...

Thanks again.

Paco.

Edited May 10, 2008 by Pacoralvarez

[chris.oz 43]

Guys!! thanks for your comments.

-Dave I think Miguel Angel will try to get some more pictures of the leaf detail. But it seems like if it has some tomentum, is hillebrandii the only species with this tomentum? or is the one that has more quantity of it?.

- Chris!! I don´t know the size of the fruit and seed yet, I´m about to receive some seeds of that palm. I´ll ask anyway.

Are Pritchardias easy to hibrydize? Do they show more vigorosity than the parents? Any Hybrid between P. pacifica and a Hawaiian species?

Just wondering...

Thanks again.

Paco.

Paco

It is often said that they will hybridise. However, that pretty much varies. As I understand it there are species living close together in habitat which do not hybridise eg. those on Kauai near the pole line trail, P hardyi and P waileleana . On the other hand, there are a a number of species in the so called remota group which probably will, as the process of speciation within this group has not progressed so far as to make the palms truly independent.

These palms are so hard to ID when young, its hard to know unless you start with guaranteed species pure seed as to what you are growing and whether there is potential for hybridisation.

About the tomentum, most species have it to a greater or lesser extent and the color does vary from a light tan color under the whole leaf of P. martii for instance , to white, just on the petioles and the lower costa of the leaf in hillebrandii. The color ans distribution of tomentum and the small scales under the leaf are key parts of the identification of the palms.

A recent copy of the Palms magazine has a supplement on Pritchardia you should get hold of. It also contains some advance detail of the revision of the genus by Don Hodel.

[Paco 1]

Hi Chris!!

Thanks for the answer, I still have to become a memeber of the IPS...

I heard about the remota group, I will love to see my remota seeds coming out with a bit of Pritchardia aylmer-robinsonii, unfortunatelly is very unlikely.

It will be very interesting to see a picture of a P.pacifica X "Hawaiian Pritch"... Anyone??

[Paco 1]

Hi Guys!!

Miguel Angel took a few more pictures of the Pritchardia, as you sugested.

We hope this pictures help to identify this beauty :

[Paco 1]

[Paco 1]

[Paco 1]

It seems like if pritchardia feels at home, in the volcanic Canary Islands hehe.