(Urban) Palms of Bombay

[Kumar]

It's surprising how many different types of palms lurk in the concrete jungles of Bombay, perhaps more than the real jungles! Here is what I uncovered over the weekend -

1. This is the dwarf variety of D. lutescens that are very popular over here, rarely growing beyond four feet in height and with miniature leaves and stems (I suspect the one on the right is the regular variety). Also, a close up of the branching stems.

2. A beautiful solitary pygmy date palm (Phoenix roebelenii). At five feet, the plant is already mature; the leaflets are as soft as R. regia and pose no danger of injury.

3. Compare the pygmy date with a young P. sylvestris sapling. though still in the ground, its emerging crown is already larger and the wicked yellow spines are easily capable of inflicting severe pain.

4. A trio of adult P. sylvestris, probably very old (>50 years), ironically in the centre of a children's playground.

The locals step out for a view, along the battered stem.

Note the deceptively weak ficus (religiosa) growing on the stem, beneath the canopy

5. Hyophorbe lagenicaulis, yet to reveal a stem.

6. Rhapsis Excelsia, still very young, and the slender stem is visible.

7. Some exquisite young coconuts in varying stages of growth, appearing to be quite hardy.

8. Some very healthy potted Caryota urens, though some are showing signs of mineral deficiency.

9. A line of what seem to be Trachycarpus fortunei ? Or am I mistaken ?

(continued in the next post)

[Kumar]

10. As usual, ever so often I spot a mutant Borassus flabellifer, with all the characteristic trademarks (massive crown, persistent leaf bases, ultra-thick stem)

(juvenile on the right, closely resembling a bismarck)

Detail of the stem.

These leaf bases while having protective uses, can be a problem - they allow all sorts of insects to thrive and other plants to take root. Here, a P. sylvestris has germinated.

11. A pair of L. Rotundifolia, heavily laden with fruit.

The emerging leaf is nearly white.

Detail of the stem and the base

a juvenile, in a strong breeze.

12. A variety of Areca, but I am certain this is not the common A. catechu

13. Leaning Royals - I had mentioned these earlier in a thread on leaning coconuts - they display surprising tenacity and seem to be no worse for their displacement other than a curiously curved stem.

14. B. flabellifer covered with creeping fig (Ficus pumila). This pretty, seemingly-delicate looking vine can over time severely damage the stem of palms, especially once the adult foliage starts.

15. And finally, a few curiosities...

Leaf deformities in borassus

...and a crooked emergent spear in a juvenile fan palm of indeterminate origin

I hope you all like these as m,uch as I did. I will also be posting photographs of some non-palms in the tropical plants forum.

[Kris]

Beautiful palms & great visuals...

And the palm stated as http://www.rarepalms...op/LivRot.shtml looks more to me like a Pritchardia But i can be wrong ! As most of the Livistona's have dark coloured spines in their leaf fronds.And leaves are more dark green in colour and are more round in shape.

Thanks & Love,

kris

[Zeeth]

The "trachycarpus", "livistonia" and "palm of indeterminate origin" seem to all be Pritchardia, likely pacifica. Wonderful pictures though. India has some interesting palms, I really like the Borassus pics

[John in Andalucia]

Lovely visuals Kumar! I agree with Kris and Zeeth, those misidentified palms look like Pritchardia pacifica.

[PalmatierMeg]

Great photo tour. Thanks, Kumar.

[paulgila]

very enjoyable! quite interesting to see some urban pix from outside the US.

thanks,kumar!

p.s. the pritchardia are really outstanding!

[Gileno Machado]

Nice photos Kumar. I especially enjoyed the Pritchardia pacifica and the lovely well grown Phoenix sylvestris.

I'm intrigued by these leaning Roystoneas pictures...I don't think they'll ever naturally lean this way, no chance...maybe they've been submitted to some mechanic stress??

[Ken Johnson]

What's up with those royals?

Love all the pix. More?

[MattyB]

Great stuff Kumar, thanks for sharing!

[Dundo]

Nice photos, thnx for visuals Kumar

[Rusty on Pine Is.]

Very cool pics, looking forward to updates!

Rusty

[Tyrone]

Thanks for posting Kumar. Keep it up.

Best regards

Tyrone

[DoomsDave]

Lovely visuals Kumar! I agree with Kris and Zeeth, those misidentified palms look like Pritchardia pacifica.

I agree, I agree, and I scream . . .

[DoomsDave]

Kumar!

More pictures is better!

Namaste!

[RyManUtah]

I've never seen a single Phoenix roebelenii before. I like it. =]

[Kumar]

Thank you everyone, for the kind words and encouragement. Namaste to you all.

About those royals - my guess is that they were all displaced as a result of a clumsy cable laying operation. They're leaning towards a railway line, incidentally - I took those two pictures from a speeding train.

[peachy]

Thanks Kumar, I never thought Mumbai had so many palm enthusiasts, which it must, to have so many different species growing. BTW I thought they were pritchardias too. Great photos.

Peachy

[DCA_Palm_Fan]

Great photos! Thanks for sharing. I don't know why, but I've always loved the look of palm trees in a strong breeze.

I've never seen a single Phoenix roebelenii before. I like it. =]

Really? They are quite common in cultivation. I have one that is about 6 feet or so and is currently flowering. I think single trunked ones are extremely rare if they even exist at all in their native habitat. I too prefer the single trunk ones though.

[Dave-Vero]

Phoenix roebelenii has become popular in southern Florida. In central Florida (roughly Melbourne northward on the Atlantic coast), it has problems with cold. It does very well to -2º C or -3º C, but no colder.

I suspect that some of the Australian Livistona palms from areas with long dry seasons might thrive in parts of India.

[_Keith]

I admit it was odd, but two of mine survived -6c for 3 nights in a row unprotected. They were under canopy of a large tree, but exposed to winds, and with no protection whatsoever.