Common Name:
Macarthur Palm
Macarthur Feather Palm
Cluster Palm
Hurricane Palm

Classification:

Ptychosperma Labill.
Kingdom: Plantae-Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta-Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta-Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta-Flowering plants
Class: Liliopsida-Monocotyledons
Subclass: Arecidae
Order: Arecales
Family: Arecaceae - Palm family
Genus: Ptychosperma Labill. - Ptychosperma
(National Plant Database. 2004.)

The pinnae is 23-28 on each side, more or less regularly arranged, obliquely praemorse, with margins nearly parallel or tapered apically. Flowering is seasonal and begins in October or November but can be earlier and later depending on conditions and plant health. Inflorescence is up to 60 cm wide with staminate flowers 6-8 mm long and 26-40 stamens. The brilliant red fruit begin to ripen in January mostly, appearing until April. The fruit is red, ovoid, 12-16 mm long with seeds deeply (3-) 6-grooved with homogeneous endosperm.
(Smith, A. C. 1979. Flora Vitiensis nova: A new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden.)
(Essig, F.B. 1978. A Revision of the Genus Ptychosperma Labill, Arecaceae.)

(Essig, F.B. 1978. A Revision of the Genus Ptychosperma Labill, Arecaceae.)

(Information for this species compiled and recorded by Camelia Cirnaru, NTBG Consultant.)