Hydriastele wendlandiana

Botanical Description

Hydriastele wendlandiana is an evergreen, usually clump-forming palm producing a cluster of up to 10 unbranched stems each up to 17 metres tall and up to 12cm in diameter; these are topped by a crown of 5 - 12 erect to horizontal leaves each around 100 - 250cm long including the petiole[ 1974 Title A monograph of Hydriastele (Areceae, Arecaceae) in New Guinea and Australia Publication Phytotaxa 370 (1): 001-092, 2018 Author Petoe P., Heatubun C.D. & Baker W.J. Website https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.370.1.1 Publisher Year 2018 ISBN 1179-3155 Description ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials. It is also planted locally as an ornamental[ 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. ]. Hydriastele wendlandiana is widely distributed and common in northern Australia, New Guinea and on islands in between. However, this species is widely used amongst local people, and deforestation is projected to affect large areas across New Guinea, which could threaten subpopulations of this species in the future. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2019)[ 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. ].