Licuala ramsayi
(F.Muell.) Domin
Arecaceae
Licuala jeanneneyi André
Licuala muelleri H.Wendl. & Drude
Livistona ramsayi F.Muell.
Pericycla muelleri (H.Wendl. & Drude) Drude ex Salomon
Common Name:
General Information
Licuala ramsayi is an evergreen, usually solitary-stemmed palm tree usually growing up to 15 metres tall, exceptionally to 20 metres[
]. The straight, slender bole can be 20cm in diameter, and is topped with a crown of 9 - 12 large fan-shaped leaves[
]. Young plants have sharp spines on the leaf bases[
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
]. Occasionally the plant will produce more than one stem[
713- Title
- Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/cd-keys/rfk/index.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online resource giving botanical information, and a little bit about plant usage, for over 2,700 species of plants found in the Australian rainforest.
].
The Aborigines used to eat the apical bud, but since this leads to the death of the tree and the tree is becoming rarer in the wild, it is a practice not to be encouraged. A fibre can be obtained from the leaves.
Licuala ramsayi has a wide distribution and is not currently experiencing any major threats and no significant future threats have been identified. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
Range
Australia - northern Queensland.
Habitat
Swamp rainforest and river banks, mainly on the coastal plains[
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.
,
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
].
Properties
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 12.00 m |
| Growth Rate | Slow |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant of the lowland, moist tropics, where it is usually found within 20 kilometres of the coast, at elevations up to 450 metres[
]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 32°c, but can tolerate 13 - 36°c[
]. It is not frost tolerant[
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.
]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 2,400 - 3,600mm, but tolerates 1,600 - 4,400mm[
].
Young plants require shade, tolerating even heavy shade. They prefer increasing light levels as they grow and can eventually tolerate full sun[
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.
]. Prefers a medium to heavy, fertile soil[
]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6.5, tolerating 4.5 - 7.5[
].
A very slow-growing plant[
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
].
Edible Uses
Apical bud - cooked and eaten as a vegetable[
144- Title
- Wild Food in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- Fontana
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- 0-00-634436-4
- Description
- A very good pocket guide.
,
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
]. Eating this bud leads to the death of the tree since it is unable to make side branches[
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
None known
Other Uses
A fibre is obtained from the leaves[
].
Propagation
Seed - germinates slowly and erratically[
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
].
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
