Linospadix H.Wendl., Linnaea 39: 177 (1875)

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Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (
New Guineapresent (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
New South Walespresent (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Queenslandpresent (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B



Biology And Ecology




  • Small to very small, solitary or clustered, unarmed, pleonanthic,monoecious palms. Stem erect, slender, eventually becoming bare, Distribution of Linospadixconspicuously ringed with leaf scars. Leaves bifid to pinnate, neatlyabscising or marcescent, a crownshaft not well developed; sheaths soon surfaces, transverse veinlets usually obscure. Inflorescences solitary,splitting opposite the petiole, bearing scattered scales, the margins often interfoliar, ± erect, protandrous, unbranched; peduncle winged at thebecoming fibrous, a tattering ligule sometimes present; petiole ± absent base; prophyll inserted near the base of the peduncle, tubular, 2-or very short to long, usually scaly; rachis very short to long; blade bifid keeled, ± included within the subtending leaf sheath, persistent,with acute, acuminate or lobed tips, or divided into 1–several fold becoming tattered and fibrous; peduncular bract 1, inserted in theleaflets, the leaflets regular or irregular, acute, acuminate, bifid or distal part of the peduncle or at its very tip, tubular, ± beaked, ±irregularly lobed and praemorse, often bearing minute scales on both enclosing the spike in bud, soon splitting longitudinally, deciduous; spike short to elongate, variously scaly, bearing dense to lax, spirally arranged, broad, ± triangular bracts forming the lower lips of very shallow floral pits, each bearing a triad except at the tip where bearing solitary or paired staminate flowers, the flowers exposed, not enclosed by the pit; floral bracteoles minute. Staminate flowers ± sessile, ± symmetrical, both of a triad apparently developing ± at the same time; sepals 3, distinct, broadly imbricate, ± keeled; petals 3, distinct, about twice as long as the sepals, with very thick valvate tips, internally marked with stamen impressions; stamens 6–12 erect, filaments very short, anthers dorsifixed, ± linear, apically acute, basally ± sagittate, latrorse; pistillode very small, minutely 3-pointed. Pollen ellipsoidal, slightly asymmetric to lozenge-shaped; aperture a distal sulcus; ectexine tectate, coarsely perforate, or coarsely perforate-rugulate, aperture margin slightly finer; infratectum columellate; longest axis 24–41 µm [3/9]. Pistillate flowers eventually much larger than the staminate; sepals 3, distinct, broadly imbricate; petals 3, distinct, slightly exceeding the sepals, with broad imbricate bases and conspicuous, thickened, triangular, valvate tips; staminodes 3–6, irregularly lobed and tooth-like; gynoecium unilocular, uniovulate, ± ovoid, with 3 short stigmas, becoming recurved, ovule laterally attached near the base, hemianatropous (?always). Fruit ellipsoidal to spindle-shaped, rarely curved, bright red (?always) at maturity, perianth whorls persistent, the stigmatic remains apical; epicarp smooth, mesocarp thin, fleshy, with thin fibres next to the endocarp, endocarp very thin, closely adhering to the seed. Seed subbasally attached, the raphe extending ca. 1/3 the seed length, or less, the branches free or anastomosing, endosperm homogeneous; embryo basal. Germination adjacent-ligular; eophyll bifid. Cytology: 2n = 32. (J. Dransfield & N. Uhl & C. Asmussen & W.J. Baker & M. Harley & C. Lewis, Genera Palmarum. The evolution and classification of palms. 2008)A