Livistona mariae F.Muell.

 
  • Family : ARECACEAE
    (Palm Family)
  • Family (Hindi name) : NARIYAL FAMILY (नारियल फैमिली)
  • Family (as per The APG System IV) : Arecaceae
  • Synonym(s) : Saribus mariae (F.Muell.) Kuntze
  • Species Name (as per The IPNI) : Livistona mariae F.Muell.
  • Common name : Central Australian palm, Red cabbage palm
  • Vernacular name :
    • Sivappu muttaikosa panai (Tamil)
  • Habit : Palm
  • Habitat : Cultivated
  • Key identification features : Functionally dioecious palm with a solitary, erect trunk; Trunk upto 30m tall, 30-40cm diameter at breast height, leaf scars stepped and raised, internodes broad, grey, petiole stubs persistent only in the basal ~1 m; Leaves costapalmate, regularly segmented, 30-50, forming a globose crown, rigidly coriaceous, grey-green and glossy adaxially, lighter grey-green and waxy-pruinose abaxially, proximal outer segment margins with small spines; Petiole erect to arching, 150–250 cm long, 20-45mm wide, adaxially ridged, margin small, curved, black spines proximally, smooth distally; Inflorescence unbranched at base, not sexually dimorphic, 125-250cm long; Peduncular bract 1, loosely tubular, covered in dense white-grey scales; Rachis bracts loosely tubular, densely white-scaled; Rachillae 3–8 cm long, pliable to flexuose, glabrous; Flowers in clusters of 3-6, campanulate, 1.0–1.8 mm long, greenish cream to yellow; Sepals ovate, 0.8-1mm, membranous, bluntly acute; Petals broadly oblong, 1.2-1.5mm, acute; Stamens about 1.2mm long; Fruit globose, 12-18mm in diameter, semi-glossy black color, epicarp with scattered lenticellular pores, suture extends ~¾ of fruit length, marked with lip-like structures, mesocarp fibrous, endocarp thin, crustaceous.
  • Flower, Fruit : May-December
  • Distribution :
    • Tamil Nadu : Most of the districts
  • Native : Australia
  • Exotic/Native : Exotic
  • World Distribution : Australia
  • Literature :
    • Narasimhan, D. & Irwin, Sheeba. (2021). Flowering Plants of Tamil Nadu: A Compendium.
  • Read more :
  • Permalink : https://indiatrees-ces.iisc.ac.in/plants.php?name=Livistona mariae
  • Citation : Sankara Rao, K., Deepak Kumar (2026). India Trees and Vegetation Types. Livistona mariae. Downloaded on 4 October 2026.

Distribution District wise

India Distribution

World Distribution

GBIF Distribution

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