Wodyetia Bifurcata

[Dave Butler]

Wodyetia Bifurcata, popularly known as the "Foxtail Palm" for its sumptuous bushy fronds with the fox tail appearance, is a very recent botanical discovery. The scientific name for this palm tree is a tribute to the Aboriginal bushman named Wodyeti, who first discovered this tree, and knew that it was unique.

This is the story of its discovery.

In 1976 an Australian nurseryman who visited his aged mother in a retirement home on a regular basis, met an interesting old aboriginal man that was also a resident of the retirement home. The nurseryman's mother did not talk much, but the old aboriginal man did. As they passed the time on each visit they shared their mutual love of beautiful plants and trees. Wodyeti told the story over and over that he knew where "the most beautiful palm trees in the world" were, in a small spot in Queensland. Wodyeti was the last of his line, holding a vast traditional knowledge of the palm's habitat. He asked the nurseryman over and over to take him there and he promised they would find the trees and that the nurseryman would not be disappointed. The next year, the nurseryman gave in, and arranged to take the old man for his last trip into the bush. They first flew to Queensland, then took a Jeep into the bush. Following the bushman's directions, they drove for several days. When they reached a certain spot, the bushman began to lead the nurseryman on foot into the jungle. After a full days walk they came upon a stand of the most beautiful palm trees the nurseryman had ever seen. They camped there for several days, enjoying the beauty, and collecting seeds and seedlings. They returned to Sydney with their treasure, Wodyeti to the retirement home, where he died in 1978. The nurseryman began growing his seedlings, and attempted to grow the seeds he had collected without much success. As the little trees grew, he took them to several nursery shows and told this story. Soon other nurserymen began the search for the "most beautiful palm trees in the world." They were found again in 1981 in tropical North Queensland, Australia. The reason why this Australian native palm remained undiscovered until so late in the 20th century is that it occurs naturally only in a very remote area of Queensland, the Bathurst bay-Melville Range. Before 1995 seeds were smuggled illegally out of Australia to growers in Florida as well as other parts of the world. After 1995 the seeds and trees were legal to be exported. Foxtail palms are sometimes mistaken for another species, known as Normanbya normanbyi . Although similar in appearance, the two palms are not related.

[Neofolis]

It's quite fortunate that Wodyeti was very persuasive/persistant and that the nurseryman was willing to make the trip.  I dare say there are many interesting stories leading to the discovery of palms and other wildlife.

[Central Floridave]

cool story, thanks!  

Its kind of ironic how foxtails have become the modern day Queen palm and are sometime's hard even to give away!

Foxtails are very common here in Central Florida. I see them everywhere.  They are pretty and are one of my favorites for just the  'Ease of Care' attribute.  Its amazing how fast they came up with such a short cultivation history.

[Howeadypsis]

Thats a great story, and it makes you wonder what else is out there awaiting discovery!

[Logolight]

What a coincidence.  I just peeled 4 Wodyetia seeds today for germination.

[Walter John]

A lot of Black Marketeering went on with foxtail seeds I can assure you. It's a pity some areas get flood planted with the same palm (Central Florida ?, Gold Coast ?). It's fine where I live, only a few around, makes mine look a standout,  in fact they are still expensive compared to Archontophoenix at the nursery so they haven't been overplanted as they say.

[Howeadypsis]

I did a search on Wodyetia and only found bifurcata. Does that mean that only the one species has so far been discovered or is Wodyetia a monotypic genus?

[Zac in NC]

Thanks for sharing the story. I am glad that the nurseryman listened to Wodyeti and went to see the palm.

Zac

[Logolight]

(Howeadypsis @ Aug. 03 2006,18:38)

QUOTE

I did a search on Wodyetia and only found bifurcata. Does that mean that only the one species has so far been discovered or is Wodyetia a monotypic genus?

I have a palm tree encyclopedia.  It shows the Fox Tail as the  only Wodyetia.

[Tyrone]

(Wal @ Aug. 03 2006,18:33)

QUOTE

A lot of Black Marketeering went on with foxtail seeds I can assure you. It's a pity some areas get flood planted with the same palm (Central Florida ?, Gold Coast ?). It's fine where I live, only a few around, makes mine look a standout,  in fact they are still expensive compared to Archontophoenix at the nursery so they haven't been overplanted as they say.

That Black Marketing stuff was just as dangerous as smuggling drugs. When we were staying at a B&B at Cape Tribulation, our host was telling us about his neighbour friend who was a retired ranger and ex-Vietnam veteran, who decided to take the smugglers on commando style.

Allegedly, people from places like Innisfail would get there 4WD's, load em up with supplies of things like chainsaws, assault rifles and heaps of ammo, and drive up thru Cooktown etc to raid the foxtails. They supposedly were getting around $10 a seed and they were getting thousands of them.

Anyway this ranger had had enough, and followed these guys and staked em out. He then stole there 4WD and drove it back to Cooktown Police station with all the guns, ammo, chainsaws, and seed. The cops then went out and got them. They were going nowhere without transport and supplies. This ranger and a work colleague would spend the entire foxtail fruiting season guarding the wild foxtail community by gun point for a few years after this.

Now they fruit in parks around the place, and are quite common. But if this story is true (It was handed down to me-didn't come from the horses mouth etc) then this ranger probably ensured this species survival. Without his efforts the wild ones would probably have been all hacked down, and the seed would still cost $10 each coming from the few fruiting ones in cultivation.

I should have knocked on his door for a chat, but to be honest I was a little bit scared of him. He had a wonderful fruiting Normanbya normanbyi on his verge and I was tempted to pick some fruit up. I'm glad I didn't.

regards

Tyrone

[Dave-Vero]

That ranger story is a bit to cowboyish even for South Florida, where there seem to be some pretty hairy stories about native orchids and, historically, there were some extremely hairy stories about protecting birds.  

There was a quite true story about a US Fish and Wildlife Service agent in Miami impersonating a captive gorilla to catch someone doing illegal wildlife trafficking.

[Tyrone]

(Dave-Vero @ Aug. 04 2006,22:53)

QUOTE

That ranger story is a bit to cowboyish even for South Florida, where there seem to be some pretty hairy stories about native orchids and, historically, there were some extremely hairy stories about protecting birds.  

There was a quite true story about a US Fish and Wildlife Service agent in Miami impersonating a captive gorilla to catch someone doing illegal wildlife trafficking.

That Ranger ended up on 60 minutes. Money makes people go to ridiculous extremes.

[Jeff Searle]

Dave,

  Quite a story. You seem to know alot about these palms. Do you grow many?

[Dave Butler]

I`m just full of knowledge, I can`t help it thats my curse.

[palmazon]

(Dave-Vero @ Aug. 04 2006,19:53)

QUOTE

There was a quite true story about a US Fish and Wildlife Service agent in Miami impersonating a captive gorilla to catch someone doing illegal wildlife trafficking.

just to set the record straight - it wasn't me...

interesting stories

thanks for sharing

[davewitty]

Hi Dave. This is a long shot as I appreciate it's been 14 years since the post. I'm writing an article on foxtail palms and would like to find out more about this story. I can find a fair bit of info on Wodyeti and those first collections of the foxtail palm, but I can't find anything on this particular story. If you can pass on any more information as to how you came by this story, please let me know. Would be very grateful. Thank you.