Stickybud Pritchardia

Description

Pritchardia viscosa, the stickybud pritchardia or lo-ulu, is an extremely rare endangered species of Pritchardia palm that is endemic to the Hawaiian island of Kaua-i. It inhabits open wet forests in the Kalihiwai Valley, where it grows at altitudes of 500-700 m (1,600-2,300 ft). Associated plants include -aiea (Ilex anomala), -ahakea (Bobea spp.), hame, (Antidesma spp.), h-pu-u pulu (Cibotium glacum), and k-piko (Psychotria hexandra). It is a medium-sized palm from 6-8 m (20-26 ft) tall, with palmate (fan-shaped) leaves about 1 m (3.3 ft) long. The fruit is produced in dense clusters, each fruit green, pear-shaped, 4 cm (1.6 in) long and 2.5 cm (0.98 in) in diameter. Like the related Nihoa Fan Palm (P. remota), it is susceptible to extinction by a single catastrophic event because of its wild population of four individuals. It is threatened by introduced rats, which eat the seeds. It has been cultivated to a moderate extent, but is exceptionally limited in its habitat.