Linospadix apetiolatus
| Linospadix apetiolatus | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Arecales |
| Family: | Arecaceae |
| Genus: | Linospadix |
| Species: | L. apetiolatus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Linospadix apetiolatus | |
Linospadix apetiolatus, commonly known as walking stick palm or Mount Lewis walking-stick palm, is a species of plant in the palm family Arecaceae. It is native to the Wet Tropics bioregion of Queensland, Australia.
Description
[edit]Linospadix apetiolatus is a small palm with a clustering habit that can reach up to 5 m (16 ft) in height. It may flower from 2 m (6 ft 7 in), and it has a stem about 2.5 cm (0.98 in) thick. The leaves are usually divided into two large segments (rarely more), and the petiole (leaf stalk) varies from none to 2 cm (0.79 in) long. Flowers are produced on a pendant spike up to 60 cm (24 in) long, carrying both male and female flowers. The fruits are red or yellow drupes, somewhat ellipsoid or cylindrical, measuring about 15 mm (0.59 in) long and 9 mm (0.35 in) wide. [4][5][6]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]The species is endemic to northeast Queensland and grows in rainforest on Mount Lewis and Mount Spurgeon (the highlands west of Port Douglas), at altitudes from 400 to 1,300 m (1,300 to 4,300 ft).[4][5][7]
Taxonomy
[edit]The species was first described in 1997 by Australian botanists John Leslie Dowe & Anthony Kyle Irvine. Their paper, titled "A revision of Linospadix in Australia, with the description of a new species" was published in the journal Principes (now published as Palms).[2][3]
Conservation
[edit]This species is listed as least concern under the Queensland Government's Nature Conservation Act.[1] As of 24 October 2025[update], it has not been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Linospadix apetiolatus". Wildnet. Queensland Government. 2025. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
- ^ a b "Linospadix apetiolatus". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
- ^ a b "Linospadix apetiolatus Dowe & A.K.Irvine". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2025. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
- ^ a b F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Linospadix apetiolatus". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
- ^ a b Dowe, J.L.; Jones, D.L. (2022). "Linospadix apetiolatus Dowe & A.K.Irvine". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
- ^ Cooper, Wendy; Cooper, William T. (June 2004). Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Clifton Hill, Victoria, Australia: Nokomis Editions. p. 71. ISBN 978-0-9581742-1-3.
- ^ "Search: species: Linospadix apetiolatus | Occurrence records". Australasian Virtual Herbarium. Australian Government. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
External links
[edit]
- Map of herbarium collections of this species at the Australasian Virtual Herbarium
- Observations of this species on iNaturalist
- Images of this species on Flickriver.com