About Archontophoenix cunninghamiana (H.Wendl.) H.Wendl. & Drude
Bangalow palm, scientifically named Archontophoenix cunninghamiana (H.Wendl.) H.Wendl. & Drude, has a single trunk that reaches up to 30 m (98 ft) tall and 30 cm (12 in) in diameter. The trunk is swollen at its base, and marked with prominent, regularly spaced leaf scars along its entire length. The plant has a crownshaft around 140 cm (55 in) long, which is green or purple-green in color. The crown is made up of around 9 to 12 leaves, also called fronds; each frond is approximately 4–4.5 m (13–15 ft) long, and holds around 90 pairs of leaflets. Most fronds have a half-twist, which leaves the leaflets at the distal end positioned more or less vertically. Individual leaflets can grow up to 100 cm (39 in) long and 10 cm (3.9 in) wide. The inflorescence is a heavily branched panicle that grows from the base of the crownshaft, and can reach up to 150 cm (59 in) long. The flowers of this species range in color from pink to lilac or purple. Functionally male staminate flowers grow up to 6 mm (0.24 in) long, while functionally female pistillate flowers are around 5 mm (0.20 in) long. The fruit is a globose drupe around 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) in diameter. When ripe, the fruit is bright red, and contains a single seed. This palm is native to eastern Australia. Its natural range extends from Mount Elliot, near Townsville in tropical Queensland, south along coastal and sub-coastal areas to Bateman's Bay in southern New South Wales. It grows in rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest, as well as in swampy areas and alongside rivers and creeks, at altitudes between sea level and 1,200 m (3,940 ft).
