Howea forsteriana

Howea forsteriana
Howea forsteriana in habitat
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Arecales
Family: Arecaceae
Genus: Howea
Species:
H. forsteriana
Binomial name
Howea forsteriana
H. forsteriana is endemic to Lord Howe Island

Howea forsteriana, the Kentia palm, thatch palm or palm court palm, is a species of flowering plant in the palm family, Arecaceae, endemic to Lord Howe Island in Australia. It is also widely grown on Norfolk Island. It is a relatively slow-growing palm, eventually growing up to 10 m (33 ft) tall by 6 m (20 ft) wide. Its fronds can reach 3 m (10 ft) long.[2] The palm gets its common name from the capital of Lord Howe Island, Kentia, and the genus name, Howea, from the island itself. The species name "forsteriana" is after Johann Reinhold Forster and Georg Forster, father and son, who accompanied Captain Cook as naturalists on his second voyage to the Pacific in 1772–1775.[3]

The species is considered vulnerable by the World Conservation Union. It is cultivated on Lord Howe Island by collecting wild seeds and germinating them for export worldwide as an ornamental garden or house plant. The trade in the seeds and seedlings is tightly regulated. This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[4][5]

  1. ^ Johnson, D. (1998). "Howea forsteriana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1998: e.T38577A10125794. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T38577A10125794.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  2. ^ RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 978-1405332965.
  3. ^ Frances Saunders (2009-09-11). "H. forsteriana: Kentia Palm". Sustainable Gardening Australia. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference RHSPF was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "AGM Plants – Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 50. Retrieved 7 March 2018.