Pritchardia viscosa

Pritchardia viscosa, the stickybud pritchardia[2] or loʻulu, is an extremely rare endangered species of Pritchardia palm that is endemic to the Hawaiian island of Kauaʻi.[3]

Stickybud pritchardia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Arecales
Family: Arecaceae
Genus: Pritchardia
Species:
P. viscosa
Binomial name
Pritchardia viscosa

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).[3]

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.[3]

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.[3]

References
  1. Gemmill, C. 1998. Pritchardia viscosa. 2011 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 9 July 2011.
  2. "Pritchardia viscosa". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  3. "Pritchardia viscosa". CPC National Collection Plant Profiles. Center for Plant Conservation. Archived from the original on 2010-10-27. Retrieved 2009-11-12.


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