Dictyosperma album
(Bory) Scheff.
Arecaceae
Areca alba Bory
Areca aurea Van Houtte
Areca borbonica Kunth
Areca furfuracea H.Wendl.
Areca lactea Miq.
Areca pisifera Lodd. ex Hook.f.
Areca propria Miq.
Areca purpurea Linden
Areca rubra H.Wendl.
Dictyosperma aureum (Balf.f.) G.Nicholson
Dictyosperma furfuraceum H.Wendl. & Drude
Dictyosperma rubrum H.Wendl. & Drude
Linoma alba (Bory) O.F.Cook
Sublimia palmicaulis Comm. ex Mart.
Common Name: Hurricane Palm
Long stemmed plants
Photograph by: Not known
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Long stemmed plants
Photograph by: Not known
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Flowering plant
Photograph by: John Dransfield
Image credit to Palmweb
Growing at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami, FL USA
Photograph by: David Stang
Fruits
Photograph by: Not known
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Flowers and fruit
Photograph by: William J. Baker
Image credit to Palmweb
Inflorescence
Photograph by: John Dransfield
Image credit to Palmweb
Close-up of the flowers
Photograph by: John Dransfield
Image credit to Palmweb
General Information
Hurricane Palm is a single-stemmed, slender, evergreen feather palm that can grow up to 20 metres tall (10 metres in cultivation). The unbranched stem can be up to 16cm in diameter with a swollen base; it is topped by a crown of 10 - 20 leaves that can each be up to 3 metres long[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
,
314- Title
- Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.pacsoa.org.au/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website.
].
The apical bud of this palm is a highly prized food and has been commonly harvested from the wild in the past. However, there are now very few plants left in the wild and so the supply of apical buds is provided through cultivation[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
,
605- Title
- Flore de L'Ile de la Reunion
- Publication
-
- Author
- E. Jacob De Cordemoy
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Librairie Medicale & Scientifique; Paris.
- Year
- 1895
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Not really a flora, more a list of the plants known at that time. It often includes a brief description of habit and habitat, plus the local uses of the plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. A very attractive palm, it is widely grown as an ornamental in the tropics and subtropics[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
There are three forms of this species and, due to over-exploitation, all are very rare in the wild. They have not as yet (2013) been assessed on the IUCN Red List, but all three meet the criteria of 'Critically Endangered' in the wild[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
Range
Africa - Mauritius, Réunion.
Habitat
Coastal forests[
314- Title
- Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.pacsoa.org.au/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website.
]. Grows at low elevations generally up to 600 metres[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Properties
| Conservation Status | Critically Endangered |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 15.00 m |
| Growth Rate | Medium |
| Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Plants are able to tolerate occasional light frosts with temperatures down to -1°c[
423- Title
- Desert Tropicals
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.desert-tropicals.com/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- The main focus of the site is succulent plants, but it also contains information on a wide range of other species. Usually at least one good photograph, plus basic information about the plant and its cultivation.
].
Prefers a position in light shade or full sun[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
,
314- Title
- Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.pacsoa.org.au/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website.
]. Grows best in a well-drained soil. Tolerant of saline conditions[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
,
314- Title
- Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.pacsoa.org.au/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website.
]. Usually growing near the coast, the plant can withstand the strongest of winds, including salt-laden hurricanes[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
,
314- Title
- Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.pacsoa.org.au/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website.
].
A moderately fast growing plant[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Edible Uses
Leaves - cooked[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. The apical bud of this plant is highly valued as a food[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. This palm is single-stemmed and unable to form sideshoots - harvesting the apical bud leads to the death of the plant[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Medicinal
A root decoction is used as a diuretic[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - sown fresh, it germinates within 60 - 120 days[
423- Title
- Desert Tropicals
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.desert-tropicals.com/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- The main focus of the site is succulent plants, but it also contains information on a wide range of other species. Usually at least one good photograph, plus basic information about the plant and its cultivation.
].
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
