The Palma Suicida grows from 30 to 80 years to become one of the largest palms. It then produces the worlds largest inflorescence, and dies. Native to the Indian subcontinent, where it is known as Talipot. Planted widely in the tropics, here at Summit Park, Panama.
Loulu or Npali louluArecaceaeEndemic to the Hawaiian islands (Kauai)EndangeredOahu (Cultivated)Loulu, pronounced low-loo, means "umbrella," because the leaves were formerly used as protection from rain or sun.The fruits, called hwane or whane, were peeled and eaten by early Hawaiians. They collected young fruits. The flavor of young fruit with the soft interior is similar to coconut. The trunks loulu were notched for climbing to gather the immature fruits and fronds. Older specimens still bear notches that can be seen today.The fronds, or leaves, called lau hwane were used by the early Hawaiians for thatching and more recently as plaiting such as papale (hats) and fans.EtymologyThe generic name is named for William Thomas Pritchard (1829-1907), 19th century British counsul in Fiji, adventurer, and author of Polynesian Reminiscences in 1866.The specific epithet napaliensis is named after the N Pali Coast, Kauai.NPH00008nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/view/Pritchardia_napaliensis
Wild Tamarillo at Wild Sumaco Reserve, Ecuador. Grown and eaten historically in the lower Andes from Central America to Bolivia, and now widespread in the world. In context at www.dixpix.ca/Amazon/flora/asterids/index.html
Loulu or Npali louluArecaceaeEndemic to the Hawaiian islands (Kauai)EndangeredOahu (Cultivated)Loulu, pronounced low-loo, means "umbrella," because the leaves were formerly used as protection from rain or sun.The fruits, called hwane or whane, were peeled and eaten by early Hawaiians. They collected young fruits. The flavor of young fruit with the soft interior is similar to coconut. The trunks loulu were notched for climbing to gather the immature fruits and fronds. Older specimens still bear notches that can be seen today.The fronds, or leaves, called lau hwane were used by the early Hawaiians for thatching and more recently as plaiting such as papale (hats) and fans.EtymologyThe generic name is named for William Thomas Pritchard (1829-1907), 19th century British counsul in Fiji, adventurer, and author of Polynesian Reminiscences in 1866.The specific epithet napaliensis is named after the N Pali Coast, Kauai.NPH00001nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/view/Pritchardia_napaliensis
Sea Oats (Uniola paniculata) blooming. Bowditch Point Regional Park, Fort Myers Beach, Lee County, Florida. This area is magical. Sea oats and beach morning glory growing side by side with plants I'm used to seeing much further inland, including large numbers of Coreopsis leavenworthii thriving in beach sand, barely above the high tide line.