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Cabbage Tree Palm

Livistona australis (R. Br.) Mart.

Brief Summary

provided by EOL authors
Livistona australis is the southernmost native palm in Australia and the second most southerly in the world (after the New Zealand Rhopalostylis). It ranges along the east coast from near Townsville in Queensland to Orbost in far eastern Victoria. The northernmost and southernmost occurrences are disjunct, the more continuous range being from Noosa in subtropical Queensland to the Bega district in southeastern New South Wales. It is a large palm, reaching 20 m or more in height and 20-30 cm trunk diameter, with crown of glossy green leaves. Found in greatest abundance in swampy coastal lowlands where it sometimes forms almost pure stands. Early English explores in New South Wales called it "cabbage tree", a name rather indifferently bestowed on any tree with an edible terminal bud, and "cabbage-tree palm" is now the accepted name.
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Livistona australis

provided by wikipedia EN

Livistona australis, the cabbage-tree palm, is an Australian plant species in the family Arecaceae. It is a tall, slender palm growing up to about 25 m in height and 0.35 m diameter.[2] It is crowned with dark, glossy green leaves on petioles 2 m long. It has leaves plaited like a fan; the cabbage of these is small but sweet. In summer it bears flower spikes with sprigs of cream-white flowers. The trees accumulate dead fronds or leaves, which when the plant is in cultivation are often removed by an arborist.

Seeking protection from the sun, early European settlers in Australia used fibre from the native palm to create the cabbage tree hat, a distinctive form of headwear during the colonial era.

Distribution and habitat

Mostly this plant is found in moist open forest, often in swampy sites and on margins of rainforests or near the sea. It is widely spread along the New South Wales coast and extends north into Queensland and southwards to eastern Victoria, growing further south than any other native Australian palm.

Culture

The cabbage-tree palm grows best in moist, organically-rich soils, and thrives in both sheltered and well-lit situations. It is also salt, frost and wind tolerant, with populations occurring in exposed coastal situations along the east coast of Australia from Queensland to Victoria. The most southerly stand is near Cabbage Tree Creek 30 kilometres east of Orbost, Victoria (37° S).

Reproduction is by seeds. At first the fruit is red, finally turning black, at which point it is ready to be peeled and planted.

Significance in Aboriginal culture

The cabbage-tree palm was called "Dtharowal", where the Tharawal language gets its name from. New growth of the tree could be cooked or eaten raw and the heart of the trunk could be cooked as a medicine to ease a sore throat. Leaves of the cabbage-tree palm were used for shelter and fibres for string, rope and fishing lines.[3]

Gallery

References

Citations

  1. ^ "IPNI: Livistona australis". International Plant Name Index. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  2. ^ Boland et al., pp. 71–72.
  3. ^ Watt, Bruce (2014). The Shire : A journey through time. China: Everbest. p. 11. ISBN 9780646920191.

Sources

  • Boland, D.J.; Brooker, M.I.H.; Chippendale, G.M.; Hall, N.; Hyland, B.P.M.; Johnston, R.D.; Kleinig, D.A.; & Turner, J.D. (1984). Forest Trees of Australia. (4th edition). Thomas Nelson, Australia; and CSIRO: Melbourne. ISBN 0-17-006264-3.

license
cc-by-sa-3.0
copyright
Wikipedia authors and editors
original
visit source
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wikipedia EN

Livistona australis: Brief Summary

provided by wikipedia EN

Livistona australis, the cabbage-tree palm, is an Australian plant species in the family Arecaceae. It is a tall, slender palm growing up to about 25 m in height and 0.35 m diameter. It is crowned with dark, glossy green leaves on petioles 2 m long. It has leaves plaited like a fan; the cabbage of these is small but sweet. In summer it bears flower spikes with sprigs of cream-white flowers. The trees accumulate dead fronds or leaves, which when the plant is in cultivation are often removed by an arborist.

Seeking protection from the sun, early European settlers in Australia used fibre from the native palm to create the cabbage tree hat, a distinctive form of headwear during the colonial era.

license
cc-by-sa-3.0
copyright
Wikipedia authors and editors
original
visit source
partner site
wikipedia EN