Howea belmoreana

Location & distribution maps

Phylogeny & links to associated information:

Wikipedia links:       Angiosperms > Monocots > Arecales > Arecaceae > Howea belmoreana

Other links:     

Plant  information

Common name:         Curly Palm

• Also, kentia palm, or Belmore sentry palm

Conservation status: Vulnerable

Etymology:   

• The genus name, Howea, comes from the island's name

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Flowers

Fruit:                            

Leaves:         

• The mature canopy spreads 2–3 m in diameter and contains roughly 36 leaves

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Stem & branches: 

Roots:         

Habit:        

Habitat:   

• Howea belmoreana is restricted to the volcanic soils on Lord Howe Island, whereas H. forsteriana is found on both alkaline calcareous and volcanic soils, the two most common soil types found on the island

• Howea belmoreana is more common on volcanic soils and has a higher survival rate than H. forsteriana

Distribution:                  

• Endemic to Lord Howe Island, Australia

Additional notes:     

• Evolution

  • Howea belmoreana is a species of flowering plant in the family Arecaceae

  • It and Howea forsteriana probably evolved from a common ancestor through sympatric speciation

  • Osborne et al. (2018) suggest that the speciation of H. forsteriana and Howea belmoreana is partially a result of difference in arbuscular mycorrhiza based on soil type

    • The levels of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were significantly lower in the roots of Howea forsteriana on volcanic soil, compared to the same species on calcareous soil and to Howea belmoreana on the same volcanic soil

    • The symbiotic relationship between the plant and the fungi exchanges carbons from the plant for essential nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphate that would be otherwise inaccessible to the plant

    • The decreased fungal relationships in Howea forsteriana in volcanic soil may disadvantage it compared to Howea belmoreana

• Howea belmoreana has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit

Sources of information:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howea_belmoreana (2023)