Livistona: the generic name was given by Robert Brown[3] to honor Patrick Murray, Baron of Livingston, who was largely responsible for establishing the botanical gardens in Edinburgh, Scotland.
nitida: the specific epithet is from the Latin for shining, polished[4] and refers to the shiny, glossy black seeds.[5]
Description
Livistona nitida has cream to yellow flowers, flowers from September to December, and fruits from November to March.[2]
It is a functionally dioecious palm, growing to 35 m, with raised leaf scars.[2] The petioles of dead leaves persist for the first metre, but they shed higher up the stem.[2]
The inflorescences are unbranched at the base, and extend beyond the limit of the crown, branching up to 4 orders.[2] The flowers are solitary or in clusters of 2-5 and have triangular sepals.[2] The fruit is globose (diameter 13–20mm) and a glossy black.[2]
Distribution
It is found In the catchments of the Dawson, Comet and Burnett Rivers, and Carnarvon Gorge in Queensland.[2] It is abundant on the margins of streams and in flood plains, but is also found near sandstone cliffs and gorges.[2]
Taxonomy
Livistona nitida was first formally described by Tony Rodd in 1998.[1][6] It had previously been known as Livistona sp. Carnarvon. L. nitida is the accepted name.[1]
