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Livistona drudei F.Muell. ex Drude

Family Name:	Arecaceae (Palmae)
Common Name:	Halifax Fan Palm, Cabbage Palm

Livistona drudei, also known as Halifax Fan Palm, is a solitary palm that can reach up to 28 m tall. The petiole is distinctively purple at the basal area and its margin is armed with curved reddish spines. Coarse fibers are prominent and persistent at the base of the petiole.

Full Sun

Moderate Water

Coastal Plant

Solitary Habit

Palm

Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Name Authority
Name Status (botanical)
Common Names
Comments
Species Summary

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division	Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants)
Plant Growth Form	Palm
Lifespan (in Singapore)	Perennial

Mode of Nutrition	Autotrophic
Maximum Height	28 m

Biogeography

Native Distribution	Australia
Native Habitat	Terrestrial
Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical

Local Conservation Status

Non-native

Description and Ethnobotany

Growth Form	It is a palm that can reach up to 28 m tall and has a solitary growth habit. Stem can reach up to 15 – 20 cm in diameter and is ringed with narrow leaf scars.
Foliage	Leaves are fan-shaped (costapalmate), about 1 – 1.5 m long, and deeply divided for 60 – 70% of the length. Leaves are regularly segmented and can have 60 – 84 segments each. The tip of the segment is pendulous with forked cleft (bifurcate). The petiole can reach 1.5 – 2.3 m long and is armed with curved reddish spines along the margin. Coarse fibers are prominent and persistent at the base of the petiole. The petiole is distinctively purple at the basal area.
Flowers	Inflorescence occurs between the leaves (interfoliar) and can reach 1.5 – 3 m long. It comprises of many small cream to yellow flowers. Flower is funnel-shaped (1.7 – 2.2 mm long) with fleshy petals and narrowly triangular sepals.

Fruit	Fruit is round to pear-shaped (pyriform) and can reach up to 1 – 1.1 cm diameter. The surface of the fruit has scattered lenticellular pores. Fruit also has suture line that extends to about half the length of the fruit. It turns purple-black when mature. Each fruit contains 1 seed within.
Habitat	It is found in coastal forests, landward side of mangrove forests, swamp forests and along streams and estuaries, up to 100 m altitude.
Associated Fauna	Flowers are pollinated by insects.
Cultivation	It can be propagated by seed.
Etymology	The genus commemorates Sir Patrick Murray (1632 – 1671), 2nd Lord of Elibank and 17th century Baron of Livingstone, who donated his private plant collection after his death and helped found the Edinburgh Botanic Garden. The specific epithet commemorates Carl Georg Oscar Drude (1852 – 1933), a German botanist and biogeographer, who contributed to the mapping of the world’s different floristic zones.

Landscaping Features

Landscape Uses	Coastal, General
Usage Hazard - Cons	Spines/Thorns - Leaf
Usage Hazard - Cons Remarks	Petioles are armed with short spines.

Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal

Pollination Method(s)	Biotic (Fauna)

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference	Full Sun
Water Preference	Moderate Water
Plant Growth Rate	Moderate

Foliar

Foliage Retention	Evergreen
Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green
Foliar Type	Compound

Foliar Shape(s)	Palm Fronds (Fan / Costapalmate)
Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio	2.5 (Palm - Solitary)

Non - Foliar and Storage

Trunk Type (Palm)	Solitary Habit, Aboveground

Floral (Angiosperm)

Flower Colour(s)	Cream / Off-White, Yellow / Golden
Flower Grouping	Cluster / Inflorescence

Fruit, Seed and Spore

Mature Fruit Colour(s)	Purple, Black
Fruit Type	Fleshy Fruit
Seed Quantity Per Fruit	Few (1-5)

References

References	Dowe, J.L. (2009). A taxonomic account of Livistona R.Br. (Arecaceae). Gardens' Bulletin Singapore 60: 185-344.

Others

Master ID	1358
Species ID	2651
Flora Disclaimer	The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.