Livistona carinensis

Botanical Description

Livistona carinensis is a solitary-stemmed, evergreen palm tree with a straight, unbranched stem up to 40 metres tall and up to 40cm in diameter. The stem is topped by a dense, globose crown of 30 - 40 fan-shaped leaves with petioles up to 125cm long and leaf blades 80 - 95cm wide[ 1970 Title A Taxonomic Account of Livistona R.Br. (Arecaceae) Publication A Taxonomic Account of Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 60(2): 185-344. 2009 Author Dowe J.L. Publisher Year 2009 ISBN Description An excellent, detailed work, though it is a shame it does not include information on traditional and other uses. ]. The plant has been harvested in quantitiy in the past for local use mainly of its wood and leaves. Where stands remain it is still commonly harvested and so action needs to be taken to ensure that any future harvesting can be sustainable. Livistona carinensis is feared to have been extirpated in Somalia due to unsustainable harvesting for timber and the loss of habitats due to expansion of date palm plantations. Excluding Somalia, the species is estimated to occur in no more than 3 - 5 threat-defined locations. Over the last 60 years (three generations), it is inferred that the global population of mature individuals has declined by at least 50%. The species does not occur in any effectively protected area and conservation actions are urgently needed. The plant is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2018)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].