Life Amid the Palms

April 2024 - Welcome!

Fun Facts About Palm Trees
Celebrating Palms & these Outrageous Newsflashes

There are always new fun-to-know palm tree facts. Like unique, recently discovered palms, that palm researchers had never known about. Come with us on this virtual trip to the South Pacific & an Indian Ocean Island to unlock their peculiarities!

Also, let's celebrate these finds on this special day!  🌴 🎉

You Know the Date! Special for All of Us!

Remember to yearly mark your calendars as a reminder of that special day for palm tree fans & aficionados! Circle April 17th - International Palm Day. Let's all celebrate each year, virtually or by taking a wonderful trip to an exotic palm filled place!

We ourselves, are celebrating by discovering the many Botanical Gardens throughout the world, which feature Many Species of Palms!

How are you celebrating? Show/tell us on our Mission: Palm Trees Facebook Page>

One fun palm tree fact here, is learning wild info in the wide world of palms. And finding out that new palms are still being discovered! Really crazy discoveries!

Come see what some of them are...

New Palm Species Causing Jaw-Dropping Reactions!

You've probably heard there's around 2600 different species of palm trees. Most known for years & years.

Yet out-of-this-world new species are still discovered on occasion. Like when biologists, horticulturists and/or palm botanists go traipsing through tropical jungles doing field work. And suddenly see Something Crazy-New in the Palm World - that they'd never seen before!

Three of the most exciting are here...

In the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve

In Malaysia, in 1964, W. Meijer was doing field work.

He saw a large grove of Strange Palm Trees. He could tell they were Arenga Genus, but exactly what were these?

Going to Do Palm Research?

Arengas normally begin flowering with inflorescences sprouting above the crown of fronds. After that, inflorescences sprout further downward, year after year.

This new palm discovery did just the opposite! The first flower stalks grew from the palm trunk base! And then with next flowerings, began rising upward.

They named this New Palm Discovery Arenga retroinfloresc! Because inflorescences grow out backwards! Compared to others in the Arenga genus.

Hiding in Plain Sight
In the Steaming Rainforests of Western Borneo

Another was even more recently discovered by RGB Kew researchers. In early 2023. They initially were clued in by Malaysian biologist Paul Chai, who'd first seen it in the late 1990s. But never scientifically reported it. When KEW visited he mentioned it to them.

They had to go find it! It was the Palm Hiding in Plain Sight!

Adult Pinanga subterranea Doesn't Show Its Trunk!

Growing throughout Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary, on Borneo. They discovered 3 unusual things about it:

• The trunk grew fully underground (acaulescent). But unlike any other palm, its inflorescence was also underground. Even when its infructescence produced fruit! 

1. They named it Pinanga subterranea (for obvious reasons!).

Exposing The Newly Sprouting Pinanga subterranea Fruits Growing Adjacent to Roots!

• Only recently discovered? Not by locals! Who've always dug up the fruit for a sweet snack. In Borneo, depending on their own native language & location, it has these common names: Pinang Tanah, Pinang Pipit, Muring Pelandok or Tudong Pelandok.
• The Bearded Pig also loves it, rooting out the fruit from underground. Then it spreads seeds around (from its natural rear outlet!). Watch it in action...

Amazing New Palm Discovery in Madagascar

In the northwestern part of this Indian Ocean island, this captivating discovery was made in 2007. By Kew palm researcher, John Dransfield, along with his student Mijoro Rakotoarinivo.

A local cashew tree grower saw it while walking the vicinity. He posted a photo on the Palm Talk forum, inquiring what Palm Species it was. Dransfield noticed & set out to figure it out.

He noticed it had some similarity to the Talipot Palm.

The life of a Talipot Palm...

Obtaining samples, DNA analysis began.  Dransfield realized it was an entirely new palm genus, which they named Tahina. Distant cousin to the genera Nannorrhops, Kerriodoxa & Chuniophoenix.

They named this discovery Tahina spectabilis. Its huge trunk & height make it the tallest palm on the island. The splendid multibranched inflorescence grows upward from the crown, with small yellow flowers.

Near its end of life, believed to be about 50 years, the inflorescence produces tons of flowers, then fruit. That process depletes it so drastically that the palm dies a few months later!

Tahina spectabilis Flowering in a Miami Garden

Tahina spectabilis is now listed as critically endangered. It's protected in Madagascar. Preservation processes are underway. It's gotten these common names: Tahina Palm or Blessed Palm.

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Til Next Time,

Karen & Bill of Mission: Palm Trees

P.S. Don't miss Our Latest Articles - And if you want to see what we have for you, available by subject be sure to check out our Mission: Palm Trees Site Index

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