Neighborhood palms/some are identifiable (?) and others are unknown

[aabell]

47 minutes ago, bubba said:

I don't know enough about Reinhardtia paiewonskiana to rule it out, but with the additional photos of the swollen base this surely looks like a Carpoxylon macrospermum with a strange habit of holding on to its old leaf sheaths. 

[tim_brissy_13]

12 minutes ago, aabell said:

I don't know enough about Reinhardtia paiewonskiana to rule it out, but with the additional photos of the swollen base this surely looks like a Carpoxylon macrospermum with a strange habit of holding on to its old leaf sheaths. 

Yeah that was my original guess before these latest photos. I’ve only ever seen a handful of Reinhardtia p in my life but I feel like the fronds don’t match and probably the trunk girth too. The leaflets on this palm look to be held at a strong V from the rachis which was one of the things that made me think Carpoxylon. Would be really interesting to see if the old leaf bases could be removed. It certainly is strange for Carpoxylon to hold on like this but in other palms this can be climate/environmental related. 

[bubba]

Nearby Carpoxolon macrospermum for comparison:

[bubba]

I agree about the swollen base but the mystery palm does not appear to have a crownshaft. I will try to get leaves but they are 25 feet in the air. My friend (owner) commented that it may just be a volunteer!

[Palmarum]

On 4/12/2026 at 7:54 PM, bubba said:

Please find a series of photos of the "what in the world" palm. Reinhardtia p. may well be accurate. The information I have on that palm indicates it is quite slender. This is not slender but not truckulent(I make up words!). It is approximately 25 feet in height. Any and all opinions are welcomed! ...

I have seen one large mature trunking; and one moderate near-trunking; specimens of Reinhardtia paiewonskiana and they do not resemble the mystery. The species is and has always been very rare and even more rare and odds are, nearly unobtainable outside the most extreme collections, when that tree was first planted as a smaller individual.

The new photos showing more of the overall size, the closeups of the trunk and swollen base, plus the description of the height lean me back towards my original guess: Carpoxylon macrospermum.

A tall, skinny, shade grown specimen whose leaves were either trimmed off before allowing them to fall on their own, or they got dry and tightened up, resulting in those semi-persistent leaf bases. When I saw the first photo posted further above, the sight of the crown instantly hit me with the Carpoxylon vibe, from the petioles up.

Part of me really wants to climb a ladder and clean that palm. For its sake and for the sake of further identification.

Ryan

[bubba]

I am relatively certain that my friend purchased a Carpoxylon macrospermum at one of the Fairchild sales many years ago. I am not certain that he originally planted it in the front but he moves palms around. 
 

Although I have never seen leaves hang on Cm the way this specimen does, I have a sneaking suspicion that removal would reveal a crown shaft!

[Palmarum]

6 hours ago, bubba said:

... Although I have never seen leaves hang on Cm the way this specimen does, I have a sneaking suspicion that removal would reveal a crown shaft!

I'm thinking it would be a fun surprise to find one under all that. All it takes is one stuck leaf base to start a storage trend.

Ryan

[bubba]

I have texted my buddy. That will be the next project.