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Licuala ferruginea Becc.

Family Name:	Arecaceae (Palmae)
Common Name:	Ferruginous Fan Palm, Palas

Full Shade

Semi Shade

Moderate Water

Bird-Attracting Plant

Native to Singapore

Ornamental Leaves

Solitary Habit

Palm

Plant Division	Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Monocotyledon)
Plant Growth Form	Palm (Solitary Habit)
Lifespan (in Singapore)	Perennial

Mode of Nutrition

Autotrophic

Native Distribution	Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, and Sumatra
Native Habitat	Terrestrial (Primary Rainforest, Freshwater Swamp Forest)
Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical

Local Conservation Status

Native to Singapore (Vulnerable (VU))

Growth Form	It is a short-stemmed, understorey palm that occasionally produces suckers and is up to 5 m tall. Its medium to large-sized, fan-shaped leaves have long leaf stalks and blades that are round and palmate. There are 5–20 leaves in the crown, that originate from the base of the plant, and are erect or arching.
Foliage	Its spirally arranged, stalked, medium- to large-sized leaves are erect or arching, fan-shaped, palmate, and up to 5 m long. The leaf stalks are about 1.5–3 m long, with narrowly triangular, reflexed spines in the margins of the lower portion. The leaf blades are round, 1–1.8 m wide, palmate with 10–25 linear leaflets, and dull green on both surfaces.
Crown Shaft	It is absent in this species.

Flowers	Its small flowers are 4–5 mm long and borne on a branched, spreading inflorescence that is erect or arching, often shorter than the leaves, and 0.5–1 m long. The inflorescence stalk is densely covered with rusty red hair.
Fruit	Its crimson to pink fruits are dark purple to black when ripe, round, and 15–17 by 12–15 cm. The initial red colour is suggested to serve as an early advertisement to birds, while subsequent pink and white stages aid in camouflaging, finally allowing the fruit to ripen to purple and black. Purple and black colouration are established visual prompts for frugivorous birds, signalling that fruits are ripe to consume. <1>
Habitat	It grows in seasonal swamp and moist alluvial lowland forests. It occurs locally in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.
Associated Fauna	Its flowers are insect-pollinated. Its fruit has been observed to be eaten by forest birds, mainly bulbuls. <1>
Cultivation	It can be propagated by seed or suckers.
Etymology	Makassar (Moluccan) leko wala, referring to Licuala spinosa; Latin ferruginea, rusty red colour, referring to the rusty red hair covering the inflorescence

Landscaping	It may be suitable for parks. This plant is suitable for planting in moist, partially-shaded or shaded areas for its attractive, fan-shaped foliage.
Desirable Plant Features	Ornamental Foliage, Ornamental Fruits
Landscape Uses	General, Parks & Gardens, Small Gardens, Shade Providing Tree / Palm

Usage Hazard - Cons

Spines/Thorns - Leaf

Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna	Bird-Attracting (Fruits)
Pollination Method(s)	Biotic (Fauna)
Seed or Spore Dispersal	Biotic (Fauna)

Rootzone Tolerance	Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils
Propagation Method	Seed, Sucker

Foliage Retention	Evergreen
Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green
Foliar Shape(s)	Palm Fronds (Fan / Costapalmate)

Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio

2.5 (Palm - Solitary)

Trunk Type (Palm)	Solitary Habit, Aboveground

Flower Grouping	Cluster / Inflorescence

Mature Fruit Colour(s)	Pink, Purple, Red
Fruit Classification	Simple Fruit
Fruit Type	Fleshy Fruit , Non-Accessory Fruit

References	<1> Er, K.B.H., Nguyen, D.H.D., Yeoh., Y.S., Khoo, M.D.Y., Choo, R., Tay, L.S., Soh, S.Y, Jamil, Z., Ang, W.F., Loo, A.H.B. (2024). Why do understorey Licuala palm fruits turn from red to white and then black when ripe? Ecology and Evolution, 14(9), e70249. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.70249

Images

Master ID	1348
Species ID	2641
Flora Disclaimer	The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.