Livistona muelleri F.M.Bailey

 
  • Family : ARECACEAE
    (Palm Family)
  • Family (Hindi name) : NARIYAL FAMILY (नारियल फैमिली)
  • Family (as per The APG System IV) : Arecaceae
  • Synonym(s) : Livistona brassii Burret; Livistona crustacea Burret; Livistona humilis var. novoguineensis Becc.; Livistona humilis var. sclerophylla Becc.
  • Species Name (as per The IPNI) : Livistona muelleri F.M.Bailey
  • Common name : Australian dwarf fan palm, Cairns fan palm, Dwarf livistona palm
  • Vernacular name :
    • Siru visiri panai (Tamil)
  • Habit : Palm
  • Habitat : Cultivated
  • Key identification features : Solitary, functionally dioecious palm, typically 3–6 m, occasionally up to 12 m; Trunk 15–30 cm in diameter, relatively thin, leaf scars raised, narrow, roughened, with persistent or deciduous petiole stubs; Crown globose, symmetrical; Leaves costapalamate, circular in outline, 60-100cm in diameter, chartaceous to rigid, adaxially olive to grey-green, abaxially dull bluish-green, glabrous except for sparse scales on ribs; Petiole 70-130cm long, 14-20mm wide, adaxially concave with corky scales, spines black, single, curved (2–12 mm), more dense proximally; Inflorescence unbranched at base, not sexually dimorphic, 80–160 cm long; rachis bracts loosely tubular with silver scales, disintegrating with age; Rachillae 2-13cm long, papillose, maroon to red; Flowers solitary or in clusters of 2-3, functionally unisexual, 1.3-1.6mm long; Sepals broadly triangular, 0.8–1 mm long, maroon, fleshy, cuspidate; Petals ovate, bright yellow, 1.3–1.6 mm, subacute; Stamens ~1.4 mm long, yellow; Ovary: carpels 3 free or fused, pink to maroon in color, ovary superior, trilocular, stigma trilobed or capitate, style short or nearly absent; Fruit ellipsoid, 10-12mm long, 8.5-10mm wide, powdery blue, reddish black or bluish black, surface smooth, with lenticellate lip-like suture along full length, mesocarp thin, dry, endocarp very thin, brittle.`
  • Flower, Fruit : Throughout the year
  • Distribution :
    • Tamil Nadu : Most of the districts
  • Native : Australia, New Guinea
  • Exotic/Native : Exotic
  • World Distribution : S. New Guinea to N. Queensland
  • 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 muelleri
  • Citation : Sankara Rao, K., Deepak Kumar (2026). India Trees and Vegetation Types. Livistona muelleri. Downloaded on 3 October 2026.

Distribution District wise

India Distribution

World Distribution

GBIF Distribution
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