Common Name:

General Information

Phoenicophorium borsigianum is a single-stemmed, evergreen palm with an unbranched, spiny main stem up to 16 metres tall and 10cm in diameter that is topped by a crown of arching leaves around 2 metres lomg[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for its leaves, which are used for thaching roofs. The plant is also an excellent pioneer species and is used for restoring degraded and deforested land[]. A very attractive feather palm, it is sometimes grown as an ornamental, especially in the humid tropics[].
Phoenicophorium borsigianum is endemic to the Seychelles where it occurs on eight islands. Potential threats include the small range it occupies (the total land area where the species is able to occur is only 235 km2); the clearance of forest at lower elevations; and the harvesting of the plant for its leaves which are used for thatch. However, the plant is known to regenerate very freely and can even establish itself in heavily degraded land and in native forest that has been dominated by alien invasive species. Therefore there is no criterion met or nearly met to evaluate this species as under threat, though future trends need to be monitored. The plant is therefore classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Seychelles

Habitat

Understory tree in forests at low and intermediate elevations. It colonizes bare eroded ground where drought is severe and is able to establish on rocky outcrops[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	0.00 m
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Phoenicophorium borsigianum grows best in the humid tropics, requiring constant high humidity and shelter from drying winds in order to avoid scorching of the foliage[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The species is able to establish itself in different habitat types from deep forests to rocky outcrop area. It is used in the Seychelles for the rehabilitation of degraded areass[].

Other Uses

The leaves are often used as a thatching material for roofs[].

Propagation

Seed -

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