Laccospadix australasicus H.Wendl. & Drude

Wendland, H. & Drude, C.G.O. (1875) Linnaea 39: 206. Type: Australiae ora tropica orientalis, ubi ad sinum Rockingham Bay! haec Palma lecta est 8.Febr.1866 in tractibus montium litus comitantibus. N.W.Uh.

Palm, Atherton; Palm, Black; Mountain Mist Palm; Black Palm; Atherton Palm; Palm, Mountain Mist

Usually grows more than 6 m tall but also flowers and fruits when smaller. Often multistemmed or with the stems in clumps.

Petioles about 60 cm long. Leaflets sessile, 17-40 x 1.5-3 cm, major veins raised on the upper surface. Base of the leafletsca. folded lengthwise, convex on the upper surface. Compound leaf rhachis ca. triangular in transverse section, angular on the upper surface. Leaflets all discrete, even the apical ones.

Flowers borne in spikes 30-200 cm long, on peduncles 40-50 cm long.

Infructescences long and spike-like. Individual fruits 15-16 x 7-8 mm. Endosperm intrusions ca. orange in colour. Embryo white, ca. 1.5-2 mm long.

Seed germination time 77 to 382 days. Cataphylls sheath the stem. First pair of true leaves compound with two leaflets. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf compound with 3-7 leaflets, leaflet blades 10-15 x 1-1.5 cm, longitudinally veined, compound leaf petiole 8-10 cm long.

Endemic to NEQ. Altitudinal range from 100-1600 m. Grows as an understory plant in wet mountain rain forests usually on soils derived from granite.