Livistona robinsoniana

[Eric in Orlando]

This is Livistona robinsoniana, the Serdang Palm native to the Philippines. Some have lumped this palm into Livistona rotundifolius (which itself is now Saribus rotundifolius).

I have noticed differences so far between the two. The leaves of L. robinsoniana are much larger but the spines along the petioles are smaller. It is also slightly hardier. Temperatures down into the upper 20sF will severely burn the foliage of L. roundifolia but has only caused minor to moderate burn on L. robinsoniana.

Since Livistona rotundifolia is now known as Saribus rotundifolius, then would L. robinsoniana would be known as Saribus robinsonianus is it is kept as a valid species?

huge leaves

Spines

[dalmatiansoap]

What a neat plant! Love that spines look!

[Kostas]

Wonderful palm Eric! As beautiful as a Livistona can be

I am growing one from seed for years and it refuses to grow,it's extremely slow for me. Any tricks this species needs or particular likes/dislikes?

[palmaddict]

I am growing two of robinsiana in San Diego and each has been in the ground about five to seven years. I would say it is about as fast as saribus and maybe a bit slower. It is going to be a remarkable palm when bigger as each of the two has about a foot of trunk. When this first arrived many in San Diego thought it would not grow here. One of the two was in the ground when we had the cold snap in 2007 where I had three nights at 29 degrees and it did not skip a beat.

When I first got into palms someone sold me a rotundifolia that they had kept extremely shelftered in a pot for years. I planted it in the ground and it never did anything but did manage to stay green over a couple of warmer winters. So rotundifolia is a greenhouse palm here.

Robonsiana is perhaps the nicest looking Livistona for San Diego. Love the lime green large leaves. Spines impressive but smaller than saribus.

patrick

[sarasota alex]

Great palm Eric! Ken Johnson has a large robinsoniana on his farm.

L. robinsoniana being a separate species goes back to Beccari. Dowe lumped them together. When Baker was re-descibing Saribus as a genus he chose not to split them back up and accepted them as the same species. I feel that that pretty much confirms it.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

I am growing two of robinsiana in San Diego and each has been in the ground about five to seven years. I would say it is about as fast as saribus and maybe a bit slower. It is going to be a remarkable palm when bigger as each of the two has about a foot of trunk. When this first arrived many in San Diego thought it would not grow here. One of the two was in the ground when we had the cold snap in 2007 where I had three nights at 29 degrees and it did not skip a beat.

When I first got into palms someone sold me a rotundifolia that they had kept extremely shelftered in a pot for years. I planted it in the ground and it never did anything but did manage to stay green over a couple of warmer winters. So rotundifolia is a greenhouse palm here.

Robonsiana is perhaps the nicest looking Livistona for San Diego. Love the lime green large leaves. Spines impressive but smaller than saribus.

patrick

Nice beautiful livistona, and a Florida and tropical exclusive that isn't known to do well in Mediteranean climates although it obviously seems to eek out a decent existence in those warm spots down in San Diego that seem almost tropical. I would be very curious if it would actually grow in those areas of Southern California that aren't Winter chill free. Even if it would survive here I bet I'd get one leaf every 3-5 years. But I'll gladly soak in the eye candy via photos, and I'd love to see those San Diego grown specimens.

[Eric in Orlando]

The aren't very drought tolerant. They need a moist, fertile soil. They also seem to like some shade when they are young.

[edric]

Hi Eric, here's what I'm going with, Ed

http://www.gbif.org/species/2733433

http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/PALMS_AND_CYCADS/Family/Arecaceae/24551/Livistona_robinsoniana

http://palmweb.org/?q=cdm_dataportal/taxon/89a3f564-8731-458d-b21e-655ca17323e1/synonymy

[Mandrew968]

I too got a Livistona robinsoniana back before the genus Saribus was resurrected. I was both excited to learn Saribus was a new genus and disappointed robinsoniana had been absorbed with rotundifolia into Saribus rotundifolius. Livistona rotundifolia was an easy-to-find palm where as robinsoniana took more research to come up on. Eric, your discerned differences give me some comfort in the extra effort I put in to find the real robinsoniana--I have a few friends with the standard 'rotundifolia' and am glad my palm will be slightly more robust/distinct than theirs. One thing the standard form has over the robinsoniana form is the fruits are much more colorful--I like reddish orange over brown...

[Eric in Orlando]

It does have some distinct differences.

[sarasota alex]

One thing the standard form has over the robinsoniana form is the fruits are much more colorful--I like reddish orange over brown...

Fruit color and anatomy was actually the main distinguishing factor Beccari used to make L. robinsoniana a separate species. Dowe (2009) reasoned that fruit colors of L. rotundifolia are highly variable and separating L. robinsoniana based on that does not make sense. Similar reasoning was given by Dowe for no longer officially recognizing L. r. var microcarpa, L. r. var mindorensis or L. r. var luzonensis as accepted varieties.

After reading this thread I am beginning to wonder, however, if some other key differences have been overlooked by Dowe and it should in fact be a distinct species.

[Mandrew968]

One thing the standard form has over the robinsoniana form is the fruits are much more colorful--I like reddish orange over brown...

Fruit color and anatomy was actually the main distinguishing factor Beccari used to make L. robinsoniana a separate species. Dowe (2009) reasoned that fruit colors of L. rotundifolia are highly variable and separating L. robinsoniana based on that does not make sense. Similar reasoning was given by Dowe for no longer officially recognizing L. r. var microcarpa, L. r. var mindorensis or L. r. var luzonensis as accepted varieties.

After reading this thread I am beginning to wonder, however, if some other key differences have been overlooked by Dowe and it should in fact be a distinct species.

But you agree with me that robinsoniana and 'rotundifolia' have different colored fruit, right? I believe Ken Johnson can attest to as much.

[Eric in Orlando]

Anyone have a mature specimen ?

[sarasota alex]

One thing the standard form has over the robinsoniana form is the fruits are much more colorful--I like reddish orange over brown...

Fruit color and anatomy was actually the main distinguishing factor Beccari used to make L. robinsoniana a separate species. Dowe (2009) reasoned that fruit colors of L. rotundifolia are highly variable and separating L. robinsoniana based on that does not make sense. Similar reasoning was given by Dowe for no longer officially recognizing L. r. var microcarpa, L. r. var mindorensis or L. r. var luzonensis as accepted varieties.

After reading this thread I am beginning to wonder, however, if some other key differences have been overlooked by Dowe and it should in fact be a distinct species.

But you agree with me that robinsoniana and 'rotundifolia' have different colored fruit, right? I believe Ken Johnson can attest to as much.

I agree based on what I read. Unfortunately don't have any first-hand experience. This is what Dowe rights:

Livistona robinsoniana was described by Beccari (1911) based on Robinson 9265 from Polillo Is (Robinson, 1911), and named for the collector, Canadian botanist, C. B. Robinson (1871-1913). Beccari related L. robinsoniana to L. rotundifolia, but distinguished it on fruit colour, being orange-reddish rather than bluish-black, and in the depth to which the testa intruded into the endosperm, it being much deeper than in L. rotundifolia. However, fruit colour in L. rotundifolia as interpreted here, is variable, with fruit maturing when orange, red, crimson or nearly black.

[sarasota alex]

Anyone have a mature specimen ?

Ken Johnson has one that's like 30' tall on his farm

[Kris]

here is a video of our Livistona rotundifolius which is about 18 years old and is about 30 feet tall.But has not flowered or put out fruits yet.

Love,

kris.

[Mandrew968]

Here is mine. I got it as a really weak looking 3gal. The nursery gave me 15% off because it was in bad shape. It is looking happy now and I have noticed its growth pattern is speeding up.