Cocothrinax crinata monoecious or dioecious?

[NOT A TA]

I've collected fruit from a group of 4 plants I did not grow which all fruited and want to be sure before I start selling the seed. There are no other palms of this type in the immediate area that I'm aware of and I dissected a seed which looks viable. What causes my question is that most information from USDA, universities, etc. I've found online lists these as monoecious.  However, the main Palmpedia page says they're dioecious, meanwhile a different Palmpedia page about palms suitable for California also says they're monoecious.   Soooo, any experts know for certain?  And then who should be contacted to "fix" whichever Palmpedia page is incorrect?

Links

http://www.palmpedia.net/wiki/Coccothrinax_crinita

http://www.palmpedia.net/palmsforcal/Coccothrinax_crinita

[Palmarum]

Monoecious.

Separate male and female flowers on the same inflorescence. If you sell the seed, be sure to keep a test batch to germinate, to test viability. That way you will know if they were good, and how long they took to germinate. Fresh Old Man Palm seed pop regularly... in compots, plastic bags, car cupholders, anywhere. Four trees growing near each other should provide oodles of seed.

Ryan

[NOT A TA]

Thanks @Palmarum! I expected they were but not being experienced with them the contrasting Palmpedia pages caused concern.

I do routinely germinate seed from batches I sell, even from palms I've been selling seed from year after year. I've been trying to get seed from these for a few years but maintenance folks have pruned them off before seed was ripe each time. The trees are in front of a county building that borders on over manicured. And for those wondering, YES, I do ask for permission to collect.

Everybody likes pics sooooo.....

[Palmarum]

Just now, NOT A TA said:

.... I've been trying to get seed from these for a few years but maintenance folks have pruned them off before seed was ripe each time. ...

I know the feeling. There is a grouping of flawless Key Thatch palms not far from me, but every time the inflorescences get close to setting fruit... (whack) they get cut off. I keep checking them while bike riding to see if the maintenance crew has gotten lax in their duties. Maybe I will have to wait for them to get taller...

The photos show well-grown and aged specimens... and a lot of purple fruit goodness. That first one has serious height on it and still has the full hair to the base. A wonderful and unexpected find in a regular landscape around a county building.

Ryan

[NOT A TA]

1 hour ago, Palmarum said:

Maybe I will have to wait for them to get taller...

I'm thinking that's what happened with these as the pruning crew had just been there according to staff I spoke with. When I'd arrived I could see from a distance the box shaped cut of the Schefflera had just been done (which I don't like) and figured they'd pruned the Old Men's fruit but to my surprise they hadn't!

1 hour ago, Palmarum said:

A wonderful and unexpected find in a regular landscape around a county building.

Last year the one to the right in the pic above started letting it's hair roll down. Apparently the maintenance people cleaned it to the base this year. The two on the other side of the entrance haven't started losing their hair yet. They're all basically the same size and it is a fairly protected area from wind.

[Palmarum]

3 hours ago, NOT A TA said:

.... Last year the one to the right in the pic above started letting it's hair roll down. Apparently the maintenance people cleaned it to the base this year. The two on the other side of the entrance haven't started losing their hair yet. They're all basically the same size and it is a fairly protected area from wind.

It's interesting to see a bare stem now and then. It still surprises me how thick the trunk diameter really is on an Old Man Palm. We just don't see it that often -- as to see one old enough to shed such fiber is a rare sight. The lower fiber and hair is just holding itself in place on older specimens, almost anything can knock it off. I prefer the hair and fiber to be persistent if possible, but to each their own.

I remember a garden tour a ways back where a well-aged Old Man Palm (about 15 ft. (4.5m) tall), had been completely cleaned of all its fiber and hair... Like all of it, up to the leaf bases. No one could figure out what it was. We had to wait for the host to come and divulge the identity. The group seemed to be both impressed and disappointed at the same time.

Ryan

[Valhallalla]

Finding less common unexpected palms in the commercial landscape is always a treat. Among the standard Roebellini and Veitchia palms I spotted these happy guys outside a doctor's office in Weston, FL. I suppose I should go back and check to see if they have been allowed to produce seed considering these photos were taken in March. I often wonder how things like this find their way in with the normal stuff.

Flamingo Gardens in Davie, FL has a few fairly old and tall bare trunk specimens. Sorry I have no photos ATM.

Also there appears to be some dispute regarding the proper spelling and pronunciation of both the scientific and common names of this palm species. Here is an "official" label I found at ZooMiami.

[Darold Petty]

My 'go  to' source for name issues is the Kew Monocot Checklist.  It shows the species name as 'crinita'.

[NOT A TA]

58 minutes ago, Darold Petty said:

My 'go  to' source for name issues is the Kew Monocot Checklist.  It shows the species name as 'crinita'.

Thanks for pointing out my mistake, in a kind way. ahahaha  With as many pages as I looked up on the web after discovering the discrepancy on Palmpedia you'd think I'd have noticed my spelling error.

[Justin31703]

I’ll take some seeds if you plan on selling these. Great palms!