The "other" Borassus, from Madagascar and New Guinea

[Carlo Morici]

Kew's World Checklist includes the following species:

Africa > Borassus aethiopum Mart., Hist. Nat. Palm. 3: 221 (1838).

Africa > Borassus akeassii Bayton, Ouédr. & Guinko, Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 150: 420 (2006).

Asia > Borassus flabellifer L., Sp. Pl.: 1187 (1753).

New Guinea > Borassus heineanus Becc., Webbia 4: 354 (1914).

Madagascar > Borassus madagascariensis (Jum. & H.Perrier) Bojer ex Jum. & H.Perrier, Ann. Inst. Bot.-Géol. Colon. Marseille, III, 1(1): 61, t. 33-35 (1913).

See, there is a new African species described in 2006 and B.sambiranensis from Madagascar is now included in B.aethiopum.

I am trying to get some different Borassus for the Palmetum. We currently grow B.aethiopum and B.flabellifer, and both do very well. I am specially interested in the New Guinean and the Malgasy species. I wander if they are just as though as the ones I know? Does anybody grow them? Any picture to share?

Carlo

[cfkingfish]

Carlo-

There are some B. madagascariensis/sambiranensis growing both at Fairchild and Montgomery, but are smaller than the others. They have maybe 3 feet of clear wood and are far from fruiting I would assume. There is also a grouping of them here in Venice at a private garden.

As far as B. henieana, Scott Zona donated a few seeds which I germinated at the nursery at Fairchild. Hopefully they are still alive? It throws a palmate eophyll much like Borassodendron, which was interesting.

[Moose]

[Carlo Morici]

Christian,

I have seen the pictures of B.madagascariensis at the FTBG, probably they are old and they are now larger. Please check about the B.haineana there . I would like to see a picture and learn about how they grow. Tender as a Borassodendron or tough as a Borassus?

Here is some interesting information about:

- Borassus akeassii

http://en.sl.life.ku.dk/upload/121net.pdf

- Borassus heineanus

http://www.palms.org/palmsjournal/2003/bheineanus.htm