ID request.

[luke.m]

Hello again, could someone suggest an ID for this one please? As I’m getting my eye in to discern palms I’m seeing more of them! It looks to me this one received some damage, perhaps frost last season or disease?? 

[DAVEinMB]

@luke.m hey Luke, looks like a livistona, possibly Chinensis

[Merlyn]

@luke.m I'd agree with Livistona Chinensis.  The oddly short set of fronds in the middle look like they have some tattered and brown ends.  That might have been a crown rot about a year ago, some cold damage, lack of fertilizer, lack of boron, or something else.  The new fronds look pretty good!

[luke.m]

@DAVEinMB

@Merlyn

thanks guys, there was a 6-7 metre tall palm which I thought was a livistona in the same yard, much finer, longer and more pendulous leaf tips. They have interesting trunk patterns, I like them. Any ideas as to the edibility of the fruits? 

[Merlyn]

@luke.m if the fans look similar to Chinensis, but have much longer trailing leaf tips, it could be Livistona Nitida.  If the fans are deeply split and kind of sparse-looking, but with really long pendulous tips, it could be Livistona Decipiens/Decora.

I'm not sure about the fruits, a quick search says they might be edible and are sometimes made into medicines.  Some fruits (like Arenga Engleri) are toxic, so I'd search carefully before considering eating any of them!  ☠️

[luke.m]

@Merlyn that is good advice,.  I have read of a couple toxic and caustic fruited species, they grab my attention when I do.
I’ll get a pic of this other livistona see if we cant narrow it down.
Cheers for the descriptions of the details, they will be helpful looking back into my books.