Sand Palm (Livistona humilis)

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palmbob Acton, CA(Zone 8b) Oct 09, 2003

Sand Palm
Livistona humilis

Photo by Sam Sweet in habitat Northern Australia

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Post #675419
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tropicbreeze noonamah, Australia Feb 15, 2009

I knew Sam Sweet when he was in Australia and I'd never question his ability to identify goannas. But when it comes to Livistona inermis I have to disagree. This photo is actually Livistona humilis.

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palmbob Acton, CA(Zone 8b) Feb 15, 2009

why is that? Looks just like the ones in Fairchild (Florida) only a tad taller and a bit less robust

Post #6140493
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tropicbreeze noonamah, Australia Feb 15, 2009

G'day Bob,
If you look closely you can see the leaflets aren't as fine as L inermis. And that's also evident in the juveniles below. Inermis and humilis both grow up to that height, even more sometimes. On the right of the plant in the foreground you can see what looks like an old inflorescence extending out of the crown. Inermis inflorescences are held within the crown.

The inermis are flowering now so I can get some new photos. This one is from last year.

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Post #6140731
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palmbob Acton, CA(Zone 8b) Feb 15, 2009

that's a great shot... add that one to the plant files! Not sure I can see any inflorescences in Sam's photo. I have seen Livistona humilis flower in Florida and they were quite a bit above the crown (I think there is one on the livistona humilis page in the plant files of Mike Dahme's Liv humilis). I you are sure about the id, I will switch the pic.

Post #6140910
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tropicbreeze noonamah, Australia Feb 15, 2009

Yeah Bob, it's a humilis for sure. We don't call inermis "wispy fan palms" but you can see the palm in the picture in question isn't 'wispy'. The inflorescence in Sam's photo is near the upper right of the palm, it's a 'dead' one. They stay like that for years. The one in the photos I loaded up in plantfiles has them from a few years back plus current ones which still have green fruit.

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Joan Belfield, ND(Zone 4a) Feb 16, 2009

The photo has been moved. Thanks!

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