Pritchardia mitiaroana

Pritchardia mitiaroana, the Mitiaro fan palm or Iniao is a species of palm tree that is native to the island of Mitiaro in the Cook Islands.[2] It grows on karst limestone on the island's makatea (fossilised uplifted reef), and grows to a height of 10m.[3]

Pritchardia mitiaroana
Mitiaro fan plan frond at Pololoei Haiku, Maui, Hawaii
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Arecales
Family: Arecaceae
Genus: Pritchardia
Species:
P. mitiaroana
Binomial name
Pritchardia mitiaroana
Dransfield & Ehrhardt[1]

While previously believed to only be found on Mitiaro, in 2007 several clusters of fan palms on the islands of Niau and Makatea in the Tuamotus in French Polynesia were classified as belonging to the same species.[4] Rarotongan oral histories record that there was once a strong sea route between Nuia, the southern Cook Islands and the Marquesas, which could have seen the plant transported between the islands.[4] In 2007 there were an estimated 1000 individuals on Nuia, and around 100 on Makatea. In 2019 there were 491 mature Iniao on Mitiaro.

References
  1. "Pritchardia mitiaroana". International Plant Names Index (IPNI). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  2. "Pritchardia mitiaroana: Mitiaro Fan-Palm". Cook Islands Biodiversity. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  3. "Pritchardia mitiaroana". Plants of the World online. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  4. Alanna Smith (15 August 2020). "Te Ipukarea Society: Mitiaro's biggest fans – are palms". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 17 August 2020.


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