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Howea belmoreana
Howea belmoreana
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Clade:	Commelinids
Order:	Arecales
Family:	Arecaceae
Genus:	Howea
Species:	H. belmoreana
Binomial name
Howea belmoreana (C. Moore & F.Muell.) Becc.
H. belmoreana is endemic to Lord Howe Island

Howea belmoreana, the curly palm, kentia palm, or Belmore sentry palm, is a species of flowering plant in the family Arecaceae, endemic to Lord Howe Island, Australia. It and Howea forsteriana probably evolved from a common ancestor through sympatric speciation. The canopy of a mature kentia palm tree spreads 5–10 ft (2–3 m) in diameter and contains roughly 36 leaves.

Howea belmoreana has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Effects of mycorrhiza on speciation

Howea belmoreana is restricted to the volcanic soils on Lord Howe Island, whereas H. forsteriana is found on both alkaline calcareous and volcanic soils, the two most common soil types found on the island. Howea belmoreana is more common on volcanic soils and has a higher survival rate than H. forsteriana. Osborne et al. (2018) suggest that the speciation of H. forsteriana and Howea belmoreana is partially a result of difference in arbuscular mycorrhiza based on soil types. The levels of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were significantly lower in the roots of Howea forsteriana on volcanic soil, compared to the same species on calcareous soil and to Howea belmoreana on the same volcanic soil. The symbiotic relationship between the plant and the fungi exchanges carbons from the plant for essential nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphate that would be otherwise inaccessible to the plant. The decreased fungal relationships in Howea forsteriana in volcanic soil may disadvantage it compared to Howea belmoreana.

References

1. Johnson D (1998). "Howea belmoreana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1998: e.T38576A10125688. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T38576A10125688.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
2. Evidence for sympatric speciation Archived 24 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine The Scientist, Stuart Blackman, 9 February 2006
3. "Real Palm Trees". Palm Tree General Description.
4. "Howea belmoreana AGM". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
5. "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 50. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
6. Hipperson H, Dunning LT, Baker WJ, Butlin RK, Hutton I, Papadopulos AS, et al. (November 2016). "Ecological speciation in sympatric palms: 2. Pre- and post-zygotic isolation". Journal of Evolutionary Biology. 29 (11): 2143–2156. doi:10.1111/jeb.12933. PMC 5096058. PMID 27374779.
7. Osborne OG, De-Kayne R, Bidartondo MI, Hutton I, Baker WJ, Turnbull CG, Savolainen V (February 2018). "Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi promote coexistence and niche divergence of sympatric palm species on a remote oceanic island". The New Phytologist. 217 (3): 1254–1266. doi:10.1111/nph.14850. PMC 5813143. PMID 29034978.

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• IUCN Red List vulnerable species
• Palms of Australia
• Howea
• Vulnerable flora of Australia
• Endemic flora of Lord Howe Island
• Taxa named by Odoardo Beccari
• Plants described in 1877
• Areceae stubs
• Australian plant stubs