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Tog Tan · 05-17-2009, 03:12 PM

Hey people, I am sure many of you out there are palm crazy too, maybe as crazy or worse off than me! It was my first obsession before I went bananas....
This post is for my two new palm-ists friends, Lil Rat and ArchAngel....

It was during my collection trips many donkey years ago that I saw many palms I cannot ID in the jungles here. Most palms from other countries, I can ID but not the local ones cos there's hardly any literature on them. One of the first family of palms which caught my eye was from the genus Pinanga of which there are a few species which have beautiful spotted leaves.

I love to hunt along the streams as these areas have a very diverse plant collection and of course it is also the home ground of the Musa violascens! Here, I have just collected a mid sized Pinanga disticha with very good high contrast coloration.

Here is the star of my first post, Pinanga disticha;
This is a dwarf palm with many forms in M'sia and visually they can be very confusing. They have a pencil thin stem and so far I have only seen specimens growing to a height of about 4ft though the literature says it can get to 7ft. They cluster freely but the clump does not have a messy look. In maturity, the leaves may lose its bifid form and may be slightly pinnate.

This pix was taken ensitu in a moist area of the jungle where this species is easily found.

This spotted leaf species retains the colors throughout their life. I still collect those which have a high color contrast. Base color range from a dark green to a mid yellowish green with highly contrasting yellow spots.

In the jungle, they are often found in the moist areas and beside streams in deep shade of down to 30-40% light infiltration from the canopy. The seeds are red when ripe. However, it is easier to remove a sucker than to germinate the seed! Once established in cultivation, they are undemanding and grow at a steady pace. I have encountered sites whereby, it is almost impossible not to step on the seedlings!

So with this first post, let's hear of the loves of your palm life!

05-17-2009, 03:12 PM	#1 (permalink)
Tog Tan Ensete nut Tog Tan's Photo Gallery Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Name: Tog Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 1,757 BananaBucks : 504,508 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,011 Times Was Thanked 2,724 Times in 787 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 204 Times	Palm Lovers' Talk - A place to talk Palms! Hey people, I am sure many of you out there are palm crazy too, maybe as crazy or worse off than me! It was my first obsession before I went bananas.... This post is for my two new palm-ists friends, Lil Rat and ArchAngel.... It was during my collection trips many donkey years ago that I saw many palms I cannot ID in the jungles here. Most palms from other countries, I can ID but not the local ones cos there's hardly any literature on them. One of the first family of palms which caught my eye was from the genus Pinanga of which there are a few species which have beautiful spotted leaves. I love to hunt along the streams as these areas have a very diverse plant collection and of course it is also the home ground of the Musa violascens! Here, I have just collected a mid sized Pinanga disticha with very good high contrast coloration. Here is the star of my first post, Pinanga disticha; This is a dwarf palm with many forms in M'sia and visually they can be very confusing. They have a pencil thin stem and so far I have only seen specimens growing to a height of about 4ft though the literature says it can get to 7ft. They cluster freely but the clump does not have a messy look. In maturity, the leaves may lose its bifid form and may be slightly pinnate. This pix was taken ensitu in a moist area of the jungle where this species is easily found. This spotted leaf species retains the colors throughout their life. I still collect those which have a high color contrast. Base color range from a dark green to a mid yellowish green with highly contrasting yellow spots. In the jungle, they are often found in the moist areas and beside streams in deep shade of down to 30-40% light infiltration from the canopy. The seeds are red when ripe. However, it is easier to remove a sucker than to germinate the seed! Once established in cultivation, they are undemanding and grow at a steady pace. I have encountered sites whereby, it is almost impossible not to step on the seedlings! So with this first post, let's hear of the loves of your palm life! __________________ ____ Tog Tan has sadly suddenly passed away 6/16/09. We will miss you Tog Tan.