Licuala paludosa / aurantiaca

[Kaname-kun]

I know that Licuala aurantiaca has been merged into Licuala paludosa, but I wonder are they really the same? I have seen vendors selling them both, as if they are different. Does paludosa have the orange petioles associated with aurantiaca?  Who knows?  --Thanks.

[Palmarum]

On 12/1/2023 at 10:46 AM, Kaname-kun said:

I know that Licuala aurantiaca has been merged into Licuala paludosa, but I wonder are they really the same? I have seen vendors selling them both, as if they are different. Does paludosa have the orange petioles associated with aurantiaca? ...

They are the same species, as L. aurantiaca is the orange petiole form of L. paludosa.

There are mature specimens of L. aurantiaca around so seed and seedlings still appear with the name. The color varies in spread and intensity from plant to plant and may change over time. Some gain color as they age, become planted, reach more light, etc. and in others it may fade. The orange color is an inter-species variabiity, similar to the color forms of Areca vestiaria. The color may not come true to seed from orange specimens and may appear later on all-green seedlings.

For the purposes of indentification, I keep the name as a variety when labeling or describing plants showing the color... Licuala paludosa var. aurantiaca.

Ryan