Tree Description
The Chinese Palm, scientifically known as the Livistona Chinensis belongs to the Arecaceae (Palm family). It is an Angiosperm and is also a species of a subtropical palm tree in eastern Asia. The Chinese Palm is native to Southern Japan, Taiwan and many islands in the South China Sea. In general, palms are pollinated by wind and a variety of insects and animals such as beetles, bees, flies, ants, and bat.
A Livistona Chinensis can get as tall as about 30 to 50 feet and a spread of 12 feet. They have white flowers that are hidden in the leaves and are followed by small (.5 to 1 inch), blue-black, olive-like fruits. These berries are born in clusters on long stems under the leaves of the tree. The flowers bloom both in the spring and in the summer. The leaves are a fan shape, broadleaf evergreen with a blade length of about 36+ inches and the leaf type is costapalmate. Neither of the flowers or fruits attract wildlife.
The palm is cultivated in the tropical and subtropical specialty plant nursery industry for use as ornamental trees in gardens and conservatories. It is cultivated in the United States, the Pacific Islands, including Hawai'i, and in tropical areas worldwide.
A Livistona Chinensis can get as tall as about 30 to 50 feet and a spread of 12 feet. They have white flowers that are hidden in the leaves and are followed by small (.5 to 1 inch), blue-black, olive-like fruits. These berries are born in clusters on long stems under the leaves of the tree. The flowers bloom both in the spring and in the summer. The leaves are a fan shape, broadleaf evergreen with a blade length of about 36+ inches and the leaf type is costapalmate. Neither of the flowers or fruits attract wildlife.
The palm is cultivated in the tropical and subtropical specialty plant nursery industry for use as ornamental trees in gardens and conservatories. It is cultivated in the United States, the Pacific Islands, including Hawai'i, and in tropical areas worldwide.
Current Research
Ethnobotany:
The palm species is well-known in Chinese medicine for their fruits and seeds have therapeutic use. The berries that the Chinese Palm produces have been traditionally used to help treat: analgesic, hemostatic, antinasopharyngeal carcinoma, antichoriocarcinoma, antiesophageal cancer, and antileukemia. These berries show a substantial impact on inhibiting cell growth and effects against the human myeloid leukemia cell, gastric cancer cell, cervical cancer cell, human liver cancer cell, melanoma cell, colon cancer cell, and bladder cancer cell.
The palm species is well-known in Chinese medicine for their fruits and seeds have therapeutic use. The berries that the Chinese Palm produces have been traditionally used to help treat: analgesic, hemostatic, antinasopharyngeal carcinoma, antichoriocarcinoma, antiesophageal cancer, and antileukemia. These berries show a substantial impact on inhibiting cell growth and effects against the human myeloid leukemia cell, gastric cancer cell, cervical cancer cell, human liver cancer cell, melanoma cell, colon cancer cell, and bladder cancer cell.
Creative Writing
When Pam thought of the day she had planned ahead of her, she imagined it to be just a relaxing afternoon on the beautiful pacific. She was up before the sun packing her sailboat with food for the day as she was checking the weather predictions of the wind. She had been sailing since she was a young girl, taught by her father who ended up getting caught up in a storm and never returning home. She says sailing makes her feel closer to her absent father.
The sun is just rising peaking it’s view over the horizon as she sets sail for her day of adventure. The destination is Catalina Island to spend her day fishing and exploring different sides of the island. The GPS is set and she is free. After about four hours of sailing she is close to one of her favorite fishing spots as her radio starts going off like mad. “Tsunami warning. Tsunami warning. Tsunami warning.” it blurs out in a monotone like voice. She is struck with fear as if she had just been shot. All Pam can think of to do is continue heading towards the island so maybe she can find some safe shelter. Her sailboat begins to sway and the bow of it is motioning upward and downward, pointing to the sky and then the ocean. She spots the island-but she also spots the tsunami out of the corner of her eye coming straight towards her. She frantically reaches for a life jacket and then grips the boards of her boat and holds on for dear life.
Everything is bright and blurry. She tries to open her eyes as she realizes she was washed up on shore of a small looking island. She sees nothing but Chinese Palm trees covering the island and gets up to dash to the shaded land under one because of the intense heat. As she looks up the only thing she can be thankful for right now is this tree and having her life. The sun appears to be going down soon and she needs to find a place to sleep. Since the island is covered in these Chinese Palms ranging from age and size she finds all of the low enough ones to take their fan like leaves that span out over a couple feet to use. She begins to layer them one on top of another and long enough to imitate the shape of a bed. After gathering around fifty she lays herself down upon the leaves and finds it to be surprisingly very comfortable and falls asleep.
The next day she doesn’t wake until noon because of how great the Chinese Palm leaf bed was. She wants her bed to be bigger though so she ventures around the island looking for more as she spots a human looking figure by the water’s edge. She also spots a bed just like hers with palm leaves. As curious as Pam is she quietly gets a closer look not sure what to do and then realizes that it’s her father! She sprints to the water happier than ever.
The sun is just rising peaking it’s view over the horizon as she sets sail for her day of adventure. The destination is Catalina Island to spend her day fishing and exploring different sides of the island. The GPS is set and she is free. After about four hours of sailing she is close to one of her favorite fishing spots as her radio starts going off like mad. “Tsunami warning. Tsunami warning. Tsunami warning.” it blurs out in a monotone like voice. She is struck with fear as if she had just been shot. All Pam can think of to do is continue heading towards the island so maybe she can find some safe shelter. Her sailboat begins to sway and the bow of it is motioning upward and downward, pointing to the sky and then the ocean. She spots the island-but she also spots the tsunami out of the corner of her eye coming straight towards her. She frantically reaches for a life jacket and then grips the boards of her boat and holds on for dear life.
Everything is bright and blurry. She tries to open her eyes as she realizes she was washed up on shore of a small looking island. She sees nothing but Chinese Palm trees covering the island and gets up to dash to the shaded land under one because of the intense heat. As she looks up the only thing she can be thankful for right now is this tree and having her life. The sun appears to be going down soon and she needs to find a place to sleep. Since the island is covered in these Chinese Palms ranging from age and size she finds all of the low enough ones to take their fan like leaves that span out over a couple feet to use. She begins to layer them one on top of another and long enough to imitate the shape of a bed. After gathering around fifty she lays herself down upon the leaves and finds it to be surprisingly very comfortable and falls asleep.
The next day she doesn’t wake until noon because of how great the Chinese Palm leaf bed was. She wants her bed to be bigger though so she ventures around the island looking for more as she spots a human looking figure by the water’s edge. She also spots a bed just like hers with palm leaves. As curious as Pam is she quietly gets a closer look not sure what to do and then realizes that it’s her father! She sprints to the water happier than ever.
References
Gilman, E. F., Watson, D.G. (1993). Livistona chinensis Chinese Fan Palm1. Environmental Horticulture.17 Oct 2013
Starr, F., Starr, K. and Loope, L. 2013. Livistona chinensis. [online] Available at: http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/reports/pdf/livistona_chinensis.pdf [Accessed: 17 Oct 2013].
Siebert, S. J. (2009). Livistona chinensis, a Semi-Naturalized Palm of Swamp Forest in Subtropical South Africa. Palms, 53(4), 193-196.
Zeng, X., Qiu, Q., Jiang, C., Jing, Y., Qiu, G., & He, X. (2011). Antioxidant flavanes from Livistona chinensis. Fitoterapia, 82(4), 609-614. doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2011.01.017
Starr, F., Starr, K. and Loope, L. 2013. Livistona chinensis. [online] Available at: http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/reports/pdf/livistona_chinensis.pdf [Accessed: 17 Oct 2013].
Siebert, S. J. (2009). Livistona chinensis, a Semi-Naturalized Palm of Swamp Forest in Subtropical South Africa. Palms, 53(4), 193-196.
Zeng, X., Qiu, Q., Jiang, C., Jing, Y., Qiu, G., & He, X. (2011). Antioxidant flavanes from Livistona chinensis. Fitoterapia, 82(4), 609-614. doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2011.01.017