Origin and Habitat: Fiji Islands ( Viti Levu, Kandavu, Ovalau and Beqa)
Altitude: 100-900 metres a.s.l.
Habitat: It grows in small populations in dense (primary) or open (secondary) humid rainforest as a subcanopy palm. Often on step slopes.
Synonyms:
See all synonyms of Veitchia vitiensis
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Accepted name in llifle Database:Veitchia vitiensis (H.Wendl.) H.E.MooreGentes Herb. 8: 514 (1957)Synonymy: 13
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Common Names include:
FIJIAN (Na Vosa Vakaviti): Niu sakiki, Sakiki, Kaivatu
Description: Veitchia vitiensis is a small attractive but rarely grown Fijian palm closely related and perhaps not distinct from Veitchia filifera.
Trunk: Solitary, slender, very thin, slightly tapering, up to about 15 m tall and 7-20 cm in diameter (4-5 cm in diameter below the crownshaft), base not swollen.
Crown: With about 8 arching fronds.
Crownshaft: The petioles are totally encircling the stem and from a nice purply, speckled crownshaft about 32 cm tall.
Leaves: 2-4 m long, petiole short densely tomentose with brown hairs as is the rachis, laminas 120-350 cm long, pinnae (leaflets) 30-40 on each side of the rachis, the median ones about 40-45 cm long and 6-6,5 cm wide, upper leaflets smaller, the terminal pair 12 cm long, opposite or alternatively inserted, widely spaced and nearly horizontal, narrow at the base more or less truncaded toward the apex, almost glabrous or with minute hairs at the base near the rachis.
Inflorescence: Infrafoliar, much branched, glabrous, panicle; peduncle short; branches 1or 2-branched, nearly straight; rachillae 5-15 cm long with 12-25 flowering nodes in a spiral pattern.
Flowers: Staminate flowers (Male) subtended by a 0,5 mm long bracteole each with about 24 stamens. Pistillate flowers (female) sepals 1,5 mm high, 2,5 mm wide. Petals 3,5-4 mm high, 3,5-4 mm wide, the margins minutely ciliolate toward the base.
Fruits: Small roundish to ellipsoid about twice as long as broad tapered to the base (11-)13-14(-19) mm wide and 5-7 mm in diameter. Subtended by a loosely cup-shaped perianth when dry; exocarp drying, endocarp very thin, papery, adherent in whole or in part to the seed.
Seeds: Ellipsoid 8 mm long, 5 mm in diameter.
Bibliography: Major references:
1) H.E.Moore, “Veitchia vitiensis, (WendI.) trans. Nov.” Gentes Herb. 8: 514 (1957)
2) Don Ellison, Anthony Ellison “Cultivated Palms Of The World” UNSW Press, 01/mag/2001. Page 234
Cultivation and Propagation: Not very commonly grown this palm is an excellent fast growing plant suited for warm, sheltered and moist tropical gardens.
Soil: It is suitable for well-drained soils (clay; loam; sand; slightly alkaline or acidic) except those that are constantly soggy.
Light: Prefers half-sun but will take some shade. If home-grown, give some morning sun as with most tropical palms. Seedlings like a more sheltered area.
Drought tolerance: In cultivation it hates low humidity. This palm appreciates regular waterings but once established will tolerate periods of drought if not prolonged.
Fertilization: Need a perfect fertilizer diet including all micro nutrients and trace elements.
Aerosol salt tolerance: It has a scarce salt tolerance, it does a lot better inland then it does on the coast.
Hardiness: Very cold sensitive, and so it is only really suited to the tropics in frost-free regions (USDA Zones 10-12)
Maintenance: Remove dried fronds if needed, but usually it is self cleaning.
Roots: Surface roots are usually not a problem.
Use: This is an excellent palm sought after by palm collectors, but scarcely known in cultivation. Its neat appearance and stature makes it perfect for use in courtyards, atriums, specimen and close to swimming pools. It is may also be closely planted in groups of two or three or planted as a landscape palm along streets or sidewalks, highways, roadsides, roundabouts and road dividers.
Food uses: Palm heart , seeds, and inflorescences are all edible
Disease & Pests: Hardly bothered by diseases and pests . Scales can infest and spoil young palms.
Propagation: Fresh seeds germinate quickly within 1 to 3 months and the seedlings are attractive.
