Conga-Train of Thrinax excelsa?

[bubba]

Not sure:

[bubba]

A bit closer. What do you think?

[bubba]

Can anyone confirm that these are Thrinax excelsa? My guesses have not been good.

[NatureGirl]

I’d like to know too. Been have a bit of an Thrinax identity crisis with a friend lately. Do you happen to know if the undersides of the leaves are whitish or green? Apparently excelsa has silvery/whitish undersides.

[bubba]

Thank you for your help! I will go back on a mission and report!

[bubba]

Trying to confirm/deny or find out what species these items are. First a distance shot of the Conga Train:

[bubba]

Taking a look from another end angle:

[bubba]

Looking at the large leaves:

[bubba]

The leaves are circular and large with many linear segments that extend halfway to the petiole:

[bubba]

They are glossy, limp with pendent ends:

[bubba]

The back side of the leaf  is said to be glaucous green or grayish.Not sure:

[bubba]

I read that T excelsa has some rings around trunk:

[bubba]

Interesting clumping trunks:

[bubba]

Another distance shot of another small group:

[bubba]

Another long range showing numerous surrounding Royals:

[bubba]

Also, one more clumpy trunk:

[bubba]

The infructenses showed these palms had fruited some time ago:

[bubba]

Found one old shriveled seed:

[bubba]

A few other random shots:

[Palmarum]

They resemble the T. radiata I stare at everyday. They are more likely planted as multiples as there are no new shoots, suckers, etc. My Thatch Palms were planted as multiples as I knew their trunks were going to be thin.

If they were T. excelsa, why plant them as multiples as T. excelsa is not often grown or cultivated in large numbers; they are not common enough to be a regular landscape species. In situations where there is a native plant requirement, they are going to require T. radiata, which is plentiful.

Your photos show specimens that are very well grown, with thick trunks and lush, hefty crowns. It is obvious they are taken care of. They look like they are in ideal soil and may or may not get irrigated. All resulting in specimen plants that look larger than usual.

I do not know how the inflorescences differ between the species, but those pictured above look identical to those found on my T. radiata.

Ryan

 

[bubba]

A few more:

[bubba]

Ryan,

Appreciate your comments, expertise and apologize for my photos! This is an out of the ordinary setting and several other unexpected specimens were observed. 
 

The Thrinax radiata that seem almost ubiquitously in this area are very different in appearance from those that I attempted to photograph. I was unable to put my hands on any seeds that were not compromised by age, but I would hazard a guess that these may well be intermediate juvenile Thrinax excelsa based upon the circular extremely large leaves that I have never seen on T radiata. Just a guess and I could be wrong but the gigantic weeping leaves I have never seen on a T radiata!

[Palmarum]

It would be a huge find if they were T. excelsa. Leaves on T. excelsa should even be larger, but really only on lightly shaded specimens. I know they just flowered, but try to get fresh seed off of them in the future. The fruit are larger on T. excelsa, about 1cm in diameter, and the flowers are light pink in color.

Ryan

 

[Looking Glass]

There are, what I always assumed were Thrinax radiata planted in multiples in a parking lot just down the street from me.  They look just like this to my eye, only younger, so just a little shorter.  They’ve formed a big bushy looking clump.....

As a side note, one of the city street plantings is alternating Thrinax radiata & Leucothrinax morrisii for a long block.  Best example of the difference between these two I’ve ever seen.  

Will post pics when I drive by next time....

[bubba]

We may be discussing the same clump! There are several other clumps at this spot. This is my go to Thrinax radiata for comparison:

[bubba]

A little closer and you can see some white seed:

[bubba]

The trunk is skinny on these T. radiata and no rings compared to what could be T. excelsa:

[bubba]

Just do not know!

[bubba]

A couple of pearls of wisdom and gems of knowledge from expert Ken Johnson (KJ) from older posts that distinguish radiata from excelsa:

- excelsa is 2x radiata; the pictures do not appropriately reflect just how big the palms in the Conga Train are compared to your standard radiata.

-Much deeper green color; I believe you can see just how deep green the palms in the Conga Train are compared to radiata.

-Reddish purple in the leaf base fiber; Not sure my pictures show this but I felt it.

-Distinct droop in the leaflets; Definitely the case with the train.

- Much more uniform than radiata; take a look at the first picture for uniformity.

Accordingly, I am going out on a limb with an educated guess of Thrinax excelsa. I have seen many many Thrinax r. and this is a different palm. Far bigger leaflets with much thicker trunks that have rings. These palms have a uniformity that prevails, the leaf base fiber has a purple hue and they are all weeping. 
 

Calling all experts!

[bubba]

Still trying to confirm or deny that the Conga Train are Thrinax excelsa or Thrinax radiata. Took some pictures of various palms identified as different Thrinax. I could not locate any palm at ANSG that was ID’d as Cocothrinax excelsa. I found many T radiata:

[bubba]

[bubba]

I found Thrinax morrissi:

[bubba]

More:

[bubba]

[bubba]

Also found Leucothrinax morrissi:

[bubba]

[bubba]

[bubba]

Getting nowhere fast!

[Palmarum]

Just now, bubba said:

Also found Leucothrinax morrissi: ...

Good find again. It has been difficult for me to find L. morrisii in seed. The inflorescences hang low and seem to get cut off before they can do anything. There is a grouping near me as part of a landscape, but they are trimmed so often I get nada off of them.

Ryan