How to make Rhapis humilis flower?

[Pal Meir]

Rachis and even rachillae are now almost green, but the flowers won’t change their colour:

[Pal Meir]

And also the taller palm α is starting flowering, the prophyll has opened today:

[Howeadypsis]

Great pics Pal

[Pal Meir]

The same species with two different types of inflorescence: The taller plant α has much more flowers than the suckering plant β, so I guess that α is male and β is female. And it seems that the flowers of α are more yellowish and the rachillae are only light orangy compared to the deeper pink colour of β.

[Pal Meir]

Does only the male inflorescence curve down?

[Pal Meir]

Pistillate (female) flowers of palm β:

[Phoenikakias]

Pal, if this is the final size of both prophylls, then there is a sexual dimorphism as the female prophyll is more eloganted. I am not surprised and in case you have not noticed it already. similar happens on Phoenix roebelenii.

[Pal Meir]

1 hour ago, Phoenikakias said:

Pal, if this is the final size of both prophylls, then there is a sexual dimorphism as the female prophyll is more eloganted. I am not surprised and in case you have not noticed it already. similar happens on Phoenix roebelenii.

That’s not me who has to be surprised:
Hastings 2003, p. 71: »Inflorescence, the male and female similar in general appearance, …«
Henderson 2009, p. 161: »… with the inflorescence … curving down.« (No dimorphism between m & f.)

[Pal Meir]

Rhapis cochinchinensis (< laosensis) dimorphism male vs female (continued):

[Pal Meir]

Emerging and curving male inflorescence of palm α from 3 sides:

[Pal Meir]

»Specimen labels give the flower colour as greenish cream (female) and bright yellow (male).« (Hastings 2003, p. 72)

Does it mean that this is already full blossom?

[Pal Meir]

Close-up (macro) of completely opened (!) female flowers:

[Pal Meir]

Continued in:

[Pal Meir]

On 13.6.2015, 17:02:49, Pal Meir said:

The (female?) one is more suckering, the other (male?) one is more growing in height. – Maibe you are right: I have to leave them more outdoors. Inside they can’t feel if it is the right season for flowering … But it is not possible here in Germany to leave the pot outside all the year long.

 

On 10.6.2016, 22:16:03, DoomsDave said:

The outdoor part might be the key. Mutter Natur is better than any of us.

Mutter Natur showed us that my guess was correct. Not correct was the ID as R humilis, it is actually R cochinchinensis (< laosensis).

[Phoenikakias]

Hey Pal, any idea how they can be pared?

[Pal Meir]

6 minutes ago, Phoenikakias said:

Hey Pal, any idea how they can be pared?

The male flowers are not yet »ripe«, but very quickly developing. My concern are the microscopic tiny female flowers which don’t open actually. If they stay green and don’t wilt before I’ll try to pare them, but how I don’t know yet …

[Phoenikakias]

I know!

 

[Pal Meir]

 

@Phoenikakias This is the problem:

[Phoenikakias]

Normal, Rhapis flowers  need their time to mature, but I am not sure whether you have the time where you live. In southern Germany August is funny and warm and flowers would reach there maturity most probably...