| Stickybud Pritchardia | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| (unranked): | Commelinids |
| Order: | Arecales |
| Family: | Arecaceae |
| Genus: | Pritchardia |
| Species: | P. viscosa |
| Binomial name | |
| Pritchardia viscosa Becc. |
|
Pritchardia viscosa (Loʻulu or Stickybud Pritchardia) is an extremely rare endangered species of Pritchardia palm that is endemic to the Hawaiian island of Kauaʻi.[2]
It inhabits open wet forests in the Kalihiwai Valley, where it grows at altitudes of 500–700 m (1,600–2,300 ft). Associated plants include ʻaiea (Ilex anomala), ʻahakea (Bobea spp.), hame, (Antidesma spp.), hāpuʻu pulu (Cibotium glacum), and kōpiko (Psychotria hexandra).[2]
It is a medium-sized palm from 6–8 m (20–26 ft) tall, with palmate (fan-shaped) leaves about 1 m (3.3 ft) long. The fruit is produced in dense clusters, each fruit green, pear-shaped, 4 cm (1.6 in) long and 2.5 cm (0.98 in) in diameter.[2]
Like the related Nihoa Fan Palm (P. remota), it is susceptible to extinction by a single catastrophic event because of its wild population of four individuals. It is threatened by introduced rats, which eat the seeds. It has been cultivated to a moderate extent, but is exceptionally limited in its habitat.[2]
Media related to [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Pritchardia_viscosa Pritchardia viscosa] at Wikimedia Commons