Livistona saribus

Common name

taraw palm

Description

Stems: Solitary, erect, gray or brown, to 15 m in height and 30 cm in diameter. Pale gray with wedge-shaped leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
scar stubs. Leaves: Costapalmatecostapalmate:
a fan-shaped leaf with a midrib (costa) extending into the blade, sometimes extending far enough into the blade to cause it to curve (e.g., <em>Sabal palmetto</em>)
, with a prominent hastulahastula:
a flange or collar-like flap of tissue extending from the petiole where a palmate leaf blade joins it; often seen on the upper (adaxial) surface, but may also be found on the lower (abaxial) surface in some palms
, induplicateinduplicate:
Most palm leaflets or leaf segments are obviously folded. If the folds create a V-shape, with the midrib lower than the margins (so that rain might fall "into a valley"), the folding is induplicate.
, glossy deep green, up to 1.5 m across, and divided to about two-thirds their length into stiff segments with drooping, bifidbifid:
deeply cleft into two usually equal parts or two-lobed from the apex; for example, palms with bifid leaves or leaflet tips (e.g., <em>Chamaedorea metallica</em> has bifid leaves)
tips. The petioles are armed with robust marginal teeth. Flowers and fruit: The inflorescences are 1-1.5 m long and branched to five orders. The yellow flowers have both male and female structures. The fruit is spherical, about 2-2.5 cm across, and glossy blue to blue-violet when mature.

Diagnostic features

Field: Solitary, erect, stem with conspicuous, wedge-shaped stubs of leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
scars. Costapalmatecostapalmate:
a fan-shaped leaf with a midrib (costa) extending into the blade, sometimes extending far enough into the blade to cause it to curve (e.g., <em>Sabal palmetto</em>)
leaves divided to about the middle into stiff segments with drooping, bifidbifid:
deeply cleft into two usually equal parts or two-lobed from the apex; for example, palms with bifid leaves or leaflet tips (e.g., <em>Chamaedorea metallica</em> has bifid leaves)
tips. Petioles armed with robust spines. Shiny blue fruit.

May be confused with

Other Livistona species, but the leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
scars and deep green leaves are distinctive.

Distribution

Native to Southeast Asia, Indonesia, the Philippines

Additional comments

Some forms of L. saribus have petioles tinged with red or orange. The marginal teeth of the petiole can be up to 7 cm long.

Scientific name

Livistona saribus (Lour.) Merr. ex Cheval.

Family

Arecaceae/Palmae

Synonyms

Livistona cochinchinensis (Blume) Mart