Which Pritchadia is this?

[palmtreesforpleasure]

This Pritchardia was obtained as Lowreyana but as you can see it is not that species.

Any advice is appreciated

[tim_brissy_13]

36 minutes ago, palmtreesforpleasure said:

This Pritchardia was obtained as Lowreyana but as you can see it is not that species.

Any advice is appreciated

Agree Colin definitely not lowreyana, can rule it out based on the small fruits. Here’s what I’m seeing:

- small spherical fruits

- abaxial surface of fronds either not or incompletely covered in lepidia

- abaxial folds covered in a cottony layer

- inflorescence divided to 3 orders

- glabrous rachillae

- infructescences shorter than petioles 

- fronds about 180 degrees or more spread from petiole. 
 

I think that leaves P hillebrandii, P glabrata and P remota as the likely candidates. I wouldn’t rule out P wailealeana either as I think it can have a small amount of cottony covering sometimes and I see the immature fruits are longer than wide. 
 

Got any photos of the overall palm Colin? I think having a look at whether the leaflets droop at the tips and the overall size of the palm would help narrow down further. It’s hard to tell, but I think I might see scattered lepidoa on the abaxial fronds surface too which would rule out hillebrandii but not sure. 

[palmtreesforpleasure]

Hi Tim,

I will take a picture in the morning, 

I will also compare it with a remota.

It has seeded at a height much shorter than hildebrandii i have seen before

[palmtreesforpleasure]

Here are some more pictures as requested

sorry about them being sideways, posted from my phone, ok in gallery., 

regards

Colin

[tim_brissy_13]

37 minutes ago, palmtreesforpleasure said:

Here are some more pictures as requested

sorry about them being sideways, posted from my phone, ok in gallery., 

regards

Colin

I think I’d narrow it down to P hillebrandii or P remota Colin. The frond structure seems to have that P hillebrandii structure of being strongly undulate but still having relatively stiff leaflet ends. I think P remota tends to have droopier leaflet tips but I know this trait can vary. The cottony covering on the folds seems quite thick so I’d guess P wailealeana is out.
 

I think maybe time to get out the magnifying glass and look for any lepidia on the abaxial surface of the fronds. I can’t tell if it’s there. If not, P hillebrandii I think. 
 

I don’t suppose anyone is in touch with Hodel? I’m guessing he’d be able to identify at a glance. 

[palmtreesforpleasure]

i Tim, 

Not remota as it has the droopy leaf tips and a cuppy leaf. I have one in my garden, Wollongong and Sydney botanic gardens, they all look the same.

More pictures of the mystery Pritchardia.

 

[tim_brissy_13]

Agree with your observation. Doesn’t look typical of remota which usually has those heavy looking cuppy fronds. 
 

I think that leaves P hillebrandii by process of elimination? Is there anything else you think it could be? I’m also not seeing obvious lepidia in your photos however it can be hard to tell without looking late it in person, which would be consistent with P hillebrandii and would confirm ruling out most other species.