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Bismarckia nobilis

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Bismarckia nobilis Hildebrandt & H.Wendl.

Family Name: Arecaceae (Palmae)
Synonyms: Medemia nobilis (Hildebrandt & H.Wendl.) Gall.
Common Name: Bismarck Palm, Satra Palm

Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Name Authority
Synonyms
Common Names
Comments

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Monocotyledon)
Plant Growth Form Palm (Solitary Habit)
Mode of Nutrition Autotrophic
Maximum Height 30 m
Maximum Plant Spread / Crown Width 8 m

Biogeography

Native Distribution Madagascar
Native Habitat Terrestrial
Preferred Climate Zone Tropical
Local Conservation Status Non-native

Description and Ethnobotany

Growth Form A magnificent, robust palm that features a heavy crown of massive bluish-green fronds, which creak in the slighest breeze, supported by a somehwat stout and smooth grey trunk.
Trunk Stem slightly swollen at the base, dark grey and smooth with leaf scars when mature, 30 to 45 cm in diamater; immature trunks retain old leafbases; crownshaft absent.
Foliage Fronds palmate, green to silverish-green, waxy, up to 3 m across; leaf sheaths and bases slightly armed.
Flowers Inflorescences pendent, white.
Fruit Fruits ovoid, multi-clustered, speckled brown when ripe, about 3 cm across, single-seeded.
Cultivation It prefers a sunny spot in well-drained soils in the tropics. Plant is rather drought tolerant once established. Propagated by seeds. Fresh seeds germinate within 2 to 4 months.
Etymology Its genus epithet is named after Prince Otto Von Bismarck, who was the first chancellor for the German empire. Its species epithet means notable or showy, which probably suggests its spectacular, showy fronds.

Landscaping Features

Landscape Uses Suitable for Roadsides

Plant Care and Propagation

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

Foliar

Mature Foliage Colour(s) Green
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) White

Fruit, Seed and Spore

Mature Fruit Colour(s) Brown

Image Repository

Images

Others

Master ID 1306
Species ID 5119
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.
Species record last updated on: 27 August 2024.
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