Ptychosperma
(from ptyche, a fold or winding, and sperma, a seed; referring to the ruminated albumen). Australian Feather-palm. SYN. Seaforthia. ORD. Palmae. A genus of elegant, unarmed, stove palms, usually with tall trunks. About a dozen species have been enumerated, natives of tropical Australia, New Guinea, and the Pacific Islands. Flowers usually rather small; complete spathes two, caducous; spadix with spreading, often slender, branches. Fruit ovoid or ellipsoid, sometimes beaked, terete or sulcate, one-seeded, the albumen more or less ruminated. Leaves terminal, equally pinnatisect; segments thickened on the margins, praemorse, the terminal one confluent; sheaths elongated. The species thrive best in fibrous loam, leaf mould, and sand. Thorough drainage, and an abundant supply of water, are important points in their culture. Propagated by seeds.
P. Alexandrae (Alexandra's). l. pinnate, beautifully arched, quite red when young, but light green when mature; rachis smooth. Stems rather slender. h. 70ft. to 80ft. Queensland, 1870. A very elegant species, rare in cultivation. (F. d. S. 1916.) Archontophoenix Alexandrae is now the proper name of this plant.
P. Cunninghamiana (Cunningham's).* Illawarra Palm. l. 2ft. to 10ft. long; pinnae lanceolate, narrow, unequally bifid at the apex, 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long, dark green; petioles broadly sheathing at the base. Stem somewhat stout, straight. h. about 60ft. Queensland and New South Wales. A very elegant species, and a most useful conservatory or cool greenhouse plant. See Fig. 317. SYNS. Archontophoenix Cunninghamiana (this name is the correct one), Seaforthia elegans (B.M. 4961).
P. Kuhlii (Kuhl's). A synonym of Pinanga Kuhlii.
P. Macarthurii (MacArthur's). l. pinnate; leaflets arching, linear-oblong, truncate or oblique, and unequally toothed at apex, 4in. to 8in. long. New Guinea, 1879. An elegant and distinct palm. SYN. Kentia Macarthurii. P. Normanbyi (Normanby's). fl., inflorescence ovoid, axillary. fr. ovoid, with a conical tip, about 1 1/2in. long. l. 8ft. to 10ft. long. h. 40ft. to 60ft. Australia. SYNS. Areca Normanbyi, Cocos Normanbyi.
P. Rumphii (Rumph's). A synonym of Drymophloeus olivaeformis. P. rupicola (rock-loving). A synonym of Loxococcus rupicola. P. Seemanii (Seeman's).* l. pinnate; pinnae erose-dentate, somewhat resembling those of a Caryota in appearance, and of a bright green colour. Stem, when fully developed, about 1in. in diameter, strong. Fiji Islands, 1879. An elegant, dwarf-growing species.