''Rhopalostylis'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of two species of palms native to the South Pacific. Both are smooth-trunked, with regular ringed scars from fallen leaves. The leaves are 3–5 m in length, and the leaf bases encircle the trunk.

Distribution

''Rhopalostylis baueri'' occurs on

Norfolk Island Norfolk Island (, ; Norfuk: ''Norf'k Ailen'') is an external territory of Australia located in the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and New Caledonia, directly east of Australia's Evans Head and about from Lord Howe Island. Together with ...

and the

Kermadec Islands The Kermadec Islands ( mi, Rangitāhua) are a subtropical island arc in the South Pacific Ocean northeast of New Zealand's North Island, and a similar distance southwest of Tonga. The islands are part of New Zealand. They are in total are ...

northeast of New Zealand; the Kermadec Islands population, formerly separated as ''R. cheesemanii'', was included in '' R. baueri'' in 2005 after comparison revealed no significant differences. '' R. sapida'', known as the nikau palm, is the only palm native to mainland New Zealand, and is found in lowland forests in the

North Island The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but much less populous South Island by the Cook Strait. The island's area is , making it the world's 14th-largest ...

, in coastal areas of the

South Island The South Island, also officially named , is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand in surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman ...

as far south as

Banks Peninsula Banks Peninsula is a peninsula of volcanic origin on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It has an area of approximately and encompasses two large harbours and many smaller bays and coves. The South Island's largest cit ...

, and on the

Chatham Islands The Chatham Islands ( ) (Moriori: ''Rēkohu'', 'Misty Sun'; mi, Wharekauri) are an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean about east of New Zealand's South Island. They are administered as part of New Zealand. The archipelago consists of about te ...

at 44°S. ''R. sapida'' thus has the southernmost range of any palm genus.

Classification

Subfamily:

Arecoideae The Arecaceae is a family of perennial flowering plants in the monocot order Arecales. Their growth form can be climbers, shrubs, tree-like and stemless plants, all commonly known as palms. Those having a tree-like form are called palm trees ...

; tribe:

Areceae Areceae is a palm tree tribe in the family Arecaceae. Subtribes: *Archontophoenicinae * Arecinae *Basseliniinae *Carpoxylinae *Clinospermatinae *Dypsidinae * Linospadicinae *Oncospermatinae *Ptychospermatinae *Rhopalostylidinae *Verschaffeltiina ...

; subtribe:

Rhopalostylidinae Rhopalostylidinae is a botanical subtribe consisting of two genera of palms from Australia and New Zealand, ''Hedyscepe'' and ''Rhopalostylis''. These two genera were formerly included in Archontophoenicinae, to which they are morphologically sim ...

. ''Rhopalostylis'' is closely related to the

Lord Howe Island Lord Howe Island (; formerly Lord Howe's Island) is an irregularly crescent-shaped volcanic remnant in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, part of the Australian state of New South Wales. It lies directly east of mainland P ...

genus ''

Hedyscepe ''Hedyscepe canterburyana'', the big mountain palm or umbrella palm, is the sole species in the genus ''Hedyscepe'' of the family Arecaceae. It is endemic to Lord Howe Island, Australia and is threatened by habitat loss. It is a solitary palm wit ...

''.

Species

References

*de Lange, P.J.; Gardner, R.O.; Crowcroft, G.M.; Stalker, F.; Cameron, E.K.; Braggins, J.E; Christian, M.L. 2005: Vascular flora of Norfolk Island: some additions and taxonomic notes. ''New Zealand Journal of Botany'' 43: 563-596. *
Kew palms checklist: ''Rhopalostylis''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3003837 Arecaceae genera Flora of New Zealand Taxa named by Carl Georg Oscar Drude Taxa named by Hermann Wendland Flora of Norfolk Island Flora of the Kermadec Islands