🌾³☆•¹ Bismarck Palm (Bismarckia nobilis) in Palm Family (Arecaceae)

Описание: ▪︎ Bismarck Palm (Bismarckia nobilis) in Palm Family (Arecaceae) native to Madagascar.

Bismarckia named for Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck (1815-1898), first Chancellor of German Empire. Specific Epithet nobilis 'noble, renowned, majestically grand or showy ' describing palm's impressive form.

Solitary, columnar & unbranched. Typically Gray to Tan in color with ringed indentations (leaf scars) left by old fronds. It can reach 25 meters in its native habitat but usually stays between 12-18 meters in cultivation. Diameter ranges from 30-45 cm, often with a slight bulge at base.

Foliage (Leaves): Enormous costapalmate (fan-shaped with a midrib) leaves that can exceed 3 meters in width. Divided into 20 or more stiff, once-folded segments that are themselves split at the tips. Most commonly a striking Silvery-Blue due to a heavy waxy coating (cuticle) that reduces water loss. A less hardy, true Green variety also exists. Sturdy leaf stalks (2-3 meters long) that are slightly armed with minute teeth & covered in white wax & Cinnamon-colored scales.

Characterized by prominent, thread-like fibers that persist between their rigid segments. These 'leaf threads' are a natural feature of palm's large, fan-shaped fronds. Fibers are typically found stretching between stiff, once-folded segments of leaf blades.
Function: These filaments are remnants of leaf tissue that separate as massive frond (which can reach up to 10 feet wide) expands.
Aesthetic: Along with the striking steel-Blue or Silver-Gray waxy coating, these threads contribute to palm's unique architectural & 'noble' appearance.

In palm botany, a hastula (hasta 'spear or lance' &
diminutive suffix -ula 'little spear') is a specialized piece of plant tissue located at junction where petiole (leaf stalk) meets leaf blade. It is primarily found in fan palms (palmate & costapalmate leaves) rather than feather-shaped (pinnate) palms. It typically appears as a flat, often triangular flange or collar-like expansion.
• Adaxial: Most commonly found on upper surface of leaf.
• Abaxial: In some species, such as (Rhapis excelsa), it can also be found on lower surface.
It serves as a botanical marker & can be a diagnostic feature for identifying specific palm species. For example, some palms have a 'yellow halo' surrounding hastula or a 'twisted' & asymmetrical shape.
◆ Examples in Common Palms - hastula is a defining feature in several well-known palm types:
▪︎ Sabal Palms (Sabal palmetto): Known for their costapalmate fronds where hastula is prominent & often triangular.
▪︎ Washingtonia Palms (Washingtonia): Feature a prominent hastula that may have tattered margins.
▪︎ Coccothrinax Species: Often have a raised, triangular hastula on upper leaf surface.

♠︎ Palmate leaves radiate from a single point with leaflets attached at tip of petiole (leaf stalk), like fingers from a palm.
♠︎ Costapalmate leaves have an extension of petiole, called a costa, running into blade, creating a central rib, making them an intermediate form between true palmate & pinnate (feather-like) leaves.

Is a dioecious palm, meaning that individual plants are either Male or Female & their flower morphology differs significantly between two sexes.

Flowers are produced on pendent, interfoliar inflorescences (emerging from between leaves) that can reach lengths of over 1.2 meters. Small & inconspicuous flowers, typically described as Brown, Creamy-White, or Straw-Yellow. Inflorescence is branched & characterized by thick, catkin-like branches.

○ Staminate (Male) Flower
Male plants produce 'staminate' inflorescences that are branched to two orders. Rachillae: Digitate (finger-like) clusters of 1-9 Crimson-colored branches, each 15-25 cm long.
● Sepals: 3 ovate, acute Sepals, approximately 3.5 mm long.
● Petals: 3 obtuse Petals, about 7 mm long, which are connate (fused) in lower half.
● Stamens: 6 Stamens with long, thin filaments.
● Rudimentary Ovary: A small Ovary rudiment (non-functional) is present.

○ Pistillate (Female) Flower
Female plants produce 'pistillate' inflorescences, which are generally more robust & produce fruit after pollination. Rachillae: Fewer in number (2-5 digitately arranged) & thicker than Male rachillae, measuring 15-23 cm long. Flower Stalk: Flowers are stalked on a hairy pedicel that elongates after anthesis.
● Sepals/Petals: 3 Sepals & 3 Petals, both approximately 3 mm long & similar in appearance.
● Ovary: Oblong shape with Stigmas that appear lateral-basal early in development.

Fruit: On female plants, flowers develop into ovoid, dark Brown to Black drupes (stone fruit) about 3-4 cm long, each containing a single large seed.
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🌾 Clade Monocots • 83494, 5184

³☆ Order Arecales • 2584, 191 Genera

•¹ Family Arecaceae • 2564, 187 - Palm

▪︎ Genus Bismarckia • 1 🌼

Borassus • 5
Calamus • 435 - Rattan Palms
Cocos • 5 - Coconut
Coccothrinax • 62 - Silver Palms
Elaeis • 2 - Oil Palms
Phoenix • 15
Raphia • 22
Rhapis • 11
Sabal • 17
Washingtonia • 1
...
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