RBG Kew Palm House

[Neofolis]

On my second trip to Kew of 2006, I actually managed to label all of my photos, so I thought I would present some of them here, as some of the species don't seem to get pictured much on the forum.  Unfortunately the light levels were quite low on the day, so some of the photos didn't come out as well as I would like, so I'll try to stick with the OK shots.  I only had time to visit The Palm House on this occasion, but I have posted quite a few photos from The Temperate House previously anyway.

Accoelorraphe wrightii

Adonidia merrillii

Aiphanes minima

Areca triandra

[Neofolis]

Arenga engleri

Arenga hookeriana

Arenga microcarpa

Arenga porphoyrocacarpa

[Neofolis]

Arenga wightii

Bactris major

Calamus australis

Calamus longipinna

[Neofolis]

Calamus viminalis

Carludovica drudei

Caryota rumphiana

Ceratozamia hildae

[Neofolis]

Ceratozamia mexicana

Ceratozamia robusta

Chamaedorea alternans

Chamaedorea cataractarum

[Neofolis]

Chamaedorea elegans

Chamaedorea ernest-augustii

Chamaedorea erumpens

Chamaedorea fragrans

[Neofolis]

Chamaedorea pochutlensis

Chamaedorea tepejilote

Chambeyronia macrocarpa (distinct lack of any red)

Cocos nucifera

[Neofolis]

Cocothrinax alta

Cocothrinax argentia

Cocothrinax barbadensis

Copernica hospita

[Neofolis]

Corypha sp. (unfortunately the label didn't have the species name)

Crinium asiaticum

Cryosophila warscewiczii

Cycas bourgainvilleana

[Neofolis]

Cycas ophiolitica

Cycas rumphii

Cycas seesmannii

Cyrtostachys renda

[Neofolis]

Dictosperma album

Dioon purpusii

Dypsis cabadae

Dypsis decaryi

[Neofolis]

Dypsis lanceolata

Dypsis leptocheilos

Dypsis lutescens

Dypsis sp, (another label without a species name, but then knowing Dypsis, it probably doesn't have a name yet)

[Neofolis]

Encephalartos villosus

Encephalartos villosus X umbeluziensis

Gaussia princeps

Heterospathe sp.

[Neofolis]

Hyophorbe lagenicaulis

Hyophorbe verschaffeltii

Kerriodoxa elegans

Latania loddigesii

[Neofolis]

Latania verschaffeltii

Lepidozamia hopei

Lepidozamia peroffskyana

Licuala grandis

[Neofolis]

Licuala spinosa

Lodoicia maldivica (unfortunately neither of the two pictures I took came out that well, but this is the better of the two and I thought being a record holding species that we rarely see I would post it anyway)

Macrozamia calocoma

Musa velutina

[Neofolis]

Nenga gajah

Pandanus odoratissimus

Pelagodoxa henryana

Pinanga cochichinensis

[Neofolis]

Pinanga coronata

Pinanga densiflora

Pinanga scortechinii

Polyandrococos caudescens

[Neofolis]

Pritchardia kaalae var. minima

Pritchardia pacifica

Pritchardia schattauerii

Pritchardia thurstonii

[Neofolis]

Ptychosperma elegans

Ptychosperma lineare

Ptychosperma macarthurii

Ptychosperma sanderianum

[Neofolis]

Ravenea moorei

Roystonia regia

Sabal minor

Salacca glabrescens

[Neofolis]

Salacca ramosiana

Sommieria elegans

Syagrus amara

Syagrus botryophara

[Neofolis]

Synecanthus warscewiczianus

Thrinax morrisii

Thrinax radiata

Veitchia mcdonielsii

[Neofolis]

Veitchia winin

Verschaffeltia splendida

Wallichia densiflora

Zamia furfuracea

[Neofolis]

Zamia loddigesii

Zamia neurophilidea

Zamia poeppigiana

Zamia stanleyi

[Neofolis]

That's all folks, thank god the Zombia pictures were blurry.  Hopefully there were one or two species that are new to some people.

[RainForestt Robert]

Neofolis, thank you for the pix.  Kew must have one of the better indoor collection of palms and cycads!

[Carlo Morici]

Wow to all. As John Dransfield said once, "Palms grow quite well in London, even Cyrtostachys... go to the Palm House and see".

Because if the Queen needs a Lodoicea... She'll have a Lodoicea

Some comments:

- The unlabelled Corypha sp. is a Latania sp.

- The Chambeyronia without "red" looks much like the form from Houailou, with almost no red, entire leaves when young and arching stiff leaves when old. Does the tag say anything else?

- What happened to Pelagodoxa? Looks like something is going wrong.

- The picture of Ravenea moorei is spectacular. It shows the multilayered "soul" of the palm house.

Carlo, Tenerife

[Bilbo]

To: Carlo: well quoted and you know sure know a lotta about palm sp. my old friend.

Brilliant lecturer in many a language.

AND a grrrreat palm garden.

Its real nice that you are kindly to a poor old palm has -been like me!

Seriously Im looking forward to seeing you at the Teneriffe meeting and perhaps maybe before as you are wecome down here (close to Gatwick).

Regardez

Juan

[Bilbo]

To: Corey in Dorset,

you are also welcome down here - why not visit us down here for some interesting palm planting + exotics?

. . . Also I note your great enthusiasm and interest in Palms !!!

Just a thought  - but why dont you join the IPS?

The rest of the guys ( this includes some of the best in the World) and are all real friendly and have real know how and I am the only member with two heads -

(allowed in to fill Minorities / Equal Oportunities Position

So dont worry!)

Seriously tho I think you would sure benefit.

We are destined for C.Rica at the next Bi and its surprising how much you can learn in the tropics - and I speak as a Med planter.

I am certain that Pablo (Paul ; our President) and all the guys would give you a real warm welcome.

Regardez

Juan

[Neofolis]

That's twice you've mentioned it this week Jon.  So what makes you think I'm not already a member?

[Neofolis]

Carlo, I don't recall anything else on the Chambeyronia tag, I'll have to check when I next visit.  I know they have a couple of other Chambey's hidden in there somewhere, but I've never seen a red leaf in The Palm House, although that could just be a question of timing.  The Pelagodoxa looked a little healthier when I visited in July, although the leaves hang over the walkway, so they do tend to get a bit tatty with people constantly brushing past.  So, the Corypha is a Latania, I wouldn't expect Kew to make mistakes, but then maybe it was me that made the mistake.  Thanks for letting me know.

[Carlo Morici]

That Chambeyronia reminds me the form I said. I can almost smell those beefy, redless leaves from Huailou in your picture :: So please read the tag and ask the guys to check the records. Also, for its age, it could be one of those seeds given as a gift in 2000 from the "Association Chambeyronia" in New Caledonia. Check and tell us.

The Pelagodoxa in your picture looks like it is lacking its central leaves, just as if something wrong happened during the past year and the palm got to the limit. Tell me I am wrong or that it is recovering.

Carlo

[Zac in NC]

I was going to say that the Corypha looked like a Biz to me. Also, that Sabal minor, hmmmmmmm, its mighty costapalmate. It does not look like a minor to me. Is that the same one you had shown earlier in the year Corey?? It looks more palmetto ish to me now.

Zac

[Zac in NC]

Oh yeah, I forgot to say great pics also, Some nice palms in the Kew Palm house, but where is the Jub pic?? Thats the most famous palm in the house, correct?  They didn't really chop it down did they?

Zac

[Carlo Morici]

Zac,

Nice observation, but I think the Sabal minor is possibly a Sabal minor. I feel always startled: some of the palms at Kew are abnormally large... maybe because of their long and slow life in such a sheltered environment so away from the tropics. They have a Brahea - I can't remember the species - which is "twice" its size. Sabal minor can get a little "major" if you let it grow in balmy environments with fertile soils.

Anyway, Kew keeps records for all of their plants, so if Neofolis asks for the Chambeyronia, he may also check where did the S.minor come from.

Carlo

[Zac in NC]

Carlo- The reason I say this, is seeing the huge minors from Eastern NC( Some of the largest around) which are slightly costapalmate, this one is way too curvy even though the Eastern NC ones are costapalmate, they aren't that much. I will send the pics to Gary Hollar to see what he says about it.

Zac

[J. australis]

What a great place to be on an English winter's day!

Agree with Carlo, there's a particularly fine pic in that collection - well done:

[Jeff Searle]

Very nice pictures. I'm a little jealous. I want to visit there sooner or later. You really covered a hell of a lot of palms. Thanks,

 Jeff

[Neofolis]

Zac the Jubaea outgrew The Palm House many years ago and was moved to The Temperate House, where it still resides, although it is ominously close to the roof now.

Carlo, I will endeavour to attain answers to your questions.  I'll send an email with pictures and see what response I get.