Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Arecales Bromhead
Family
Palmae Juss.
Genus
Rhopalostylis H.Wendl. & Drude
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Rhopalostylis sapida H.Wendl. & Drude (1878)
Vernacular Name(s):
Feather duster palm; Nīkau; Nikau palm
 Description

Trunk to c. 10 m. × 25 cm., green between rather closely spaced lf-scars; crownshaft to 60 cm. long, smooth and green, slightly bulging. Lf to 3 m. long; lflts to 1 m. long, closely set and ascending sharply. Spathes c. 30 × 15 cm., between pink and yellow, smooth, falling as first fls open. Ultimate branches of infl. to c. 20–(30) cm. long, c. 1.5 cm. diam. with buds on, at first pale cream-coloured; fl.-buds tightly packed, lilac. Fr. c. 10 × 7 mm., elliptic-oblong, brick-red. Seed long-oval, tightly invested in smooth, whitish endocarp which is marked by mainly longitudinal vascular strands; hilum broad at chalazal end, tapering to a narrow groove beside the micropyle.

[From: Moore and Edgar (1970) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 2.]

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
 Phenology

Flowering: Nov.–Apr.; Fruiting: Feb.–Nov.

 Bibliography
de Lange, P.J.; Heenan, P.B.; Given, D.R.; Norton, D.A.; Ogle, C.C.; Johnson, P.N.; Cameron, E.K. 1999: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 37: 603–628.
de Lange, P.J.; Norton, D.A.; Heenan, P.B.; Courtney, S.P.; Molloy, B.P.J.; Ogle, C.C.; Rance, B.D. 2004: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 42(1): 45–76. [as Rhopalostylis aff. sapida (AK 227148; Chatham Islands)]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.N.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, I.; Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Heenan, P.B.; Ladley, K. 2018: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 22. [Not Threatened]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington. [Not Threatened]