Identification: Help from palm tree experts please!

Discussion in 'Indoor and Greenhouse Plants' started by tropical, Sep 7, 2015.

  1. tropical

    tropical Active Member 10 Years

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    Is this a fishtail palm or some other variety? THanks!
     

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  2. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    Some other. I think it's Ptychosperma furcatum, which supposedly has no common name. See
    http://olabrisagardens.com/tropical-gardening-advice/planting-roots-in-mexico/palms-2/no-common-name-ptychosperma-furcatum/.

    The leaflets here and the leaflets on the fishtail palm do look very similar. The difference is that fishtail palms have double-pinnate leaves, so where the leaflets are here on the frond or leaf, each of those leaflets would be split again into leaflets on the fishtail palm, so each whole leaf is a large triangular thing on the fishtail.
     
  3. Junglekeeper

    Junglekeeper Esteemed Contributor 10 Years

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    Might be Wodyetia bifurcata, Foxtail Palm.
     
  4. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    Thanks, Junglekeeper. I think you're right, and that's the name I've wanted for a tree I see quite a bit in Hawaii.

    It looks like Ptychosperma have leaflets in two rows in a single plane, whereas on Wodyetia, they circle about the rachis.
     
  5. tropical

    tropical Active Member 10 Years

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    Thanks for the input. I'm leaning towards Wodyetia bifurcata too. Definitely time for a larger pot or finding a place to plant it in the yard. Thanks again!
     

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