Livistona chinensis
System : Terrestrial
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Plantae
Magnoliophyta
Liliopsida
Arecales
Arecaceae
  • General
  • Distribution
  • Impact
  • Management
  • Bibliography
  • Contact
Common name
fountain palm (English), Chinese fan palm (English), Chinese fountain palm (English), palmeira-leque-da-china (Portuguese), palmier évantail de Chine (French), falsa-latânia (Portuguese)
Synonym
Livistona oliviformis , (Hassk.) Mart.
Saribus oliviformis , Hassk.
Latania chinensis , Jacq.
Livistona subglobosa , (Hassk.) Mart.
Similar species
Summary
The Chinese fan palm, Livistona chinensis is a single stemmed fan palm native to Japan and China that is cultivated worldwide in tropical and temperate climates as an ornamental. Their introduced range includes Bermuda, the Mascarene Islands, Florida, Hawaii and New Caledonia where they have naturalised. In Bermuda thickets of fan palms can be seen beside roads where seeds have dropped and germinated, these thickets can crowd out native species and overshadow them. In Hawaii they have been seen growing in ditches, stream-beds and understory of disturbed secondary forests. They are also reported to be growing in riparian areas in New Caledonia.
Pathway
The Chinese fan palm has been introduced widely as an ornamental tree for gardens

Principal source:

Compiler: IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) with support from the Overseas Territories Environmental Programme (OTEP) project XOT603, a joint project with the Cayman Islands Government - Department of Environment

Review:

Publication date: 2010-06-08

Recommended citation: Global Invasive Species Database (2024) Species profile: Livistona chinensis. Downloaded from http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/species.php?sc=1645 on 20-04-2024.

General Impacts
Fan palms are naturalised in Bermuda and thickets of palms can be found along roadsides. The berries produced by the palms fall to the ground around the base of the tree and germinate. Seedlings grow to eventually form thickets. These thickets can crowd out and overshadow native species. Chinese fan palms are similar to and are often mistaken for the endemic Bermuda palmetto (Sabal bermudana).
Management Info
The Department of Conservation Services, Government of Bermuda suggests the following options for the control and management of the Chinese fan palm. Fan palms have thorns so gloves need to be used, young seedlings can be pulled out easily but not larger saplings. Re-growth can occur if it breaks and bits are left in the ground. Mature palms can be removed using a machete or bow saw. As the trunk is fibrous the chainsaw can get clogged frequently while working it. The centre of the stump needs to be destroyed. The herbicide 'Roundup’ can be used to brush the stump to prevent re-growth.
Countries (or multi-country features) with distribution records for Livistona chinensis
Informations on Livistona chinensis has been recorded for the following locations. Click on the name for additional informations.
Lorem Ipsum
Location Status Invasiveness Occurrence Source
Details of Livistona chinensis in information
Status
Invasiveness
Arrival date
Occurrence
Source
Introduction
Species notes for this location
Location note
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Impact
Mechanism:
Outcome:
Ecosystem services:
Impact information
Fan palms are naturalised in Bermuda and thickets of palms can be found along roadsides. The berries produced by the palms fall to the ground around the base of the tree and germinate. Seedlings grow to eventually form thickets. These thickets can crowd out and overshadow native species. Chinese fan palms are similar to and are often mistaken for the endemic Bermuda palmetto (Sabal bermudana).
Red List assessed species 1: CR = 1;
View more species View less species
Locations
MAURITIUS
Mechanism
[1] Competition
Outcomes
[1] Environmental Ecosystem - Habitat
  • [1] Reduction in native biodiversity
Management information
The Department of Conservation Services, Government of Bermuda suggests the following options for the control and management of the Chinese fan palm. Fan palms have thorns so gloves need to be used, young seedlings can be pulled out easily but not larger saplings. Re-growth can occur if it breaks and bits are left in the ground. Mature palms can be removed using a machete or bow saw. As the trunk is fibrous the chainsaw can get clogged frequently while working it. The centre of the stump needs to be destroyed. The herbicide 'Roundup’ can be used to brush the stump to prevent re-growth.
Locations
BERMUDA
UNITED STATES
Management Category
Prevention
Unknown
Bibliography
11 references found for Livistona chinensis

Management information
Department of Conservation Services, Government of Bermuda, 2009. Chinese Fan Palm (Livistona chinensis)
Summary: Available from: http://www.conservation.bm/chinese-fan-palm/ [Accessed 26 July 2010]
IUCN/SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG)., 2010. A Compilation of Information Sources for Conservation Managers.
Summary: This compilation of information sources can be sorted on keywords for example: Baits & Lures, Non Target Species, Eradication, Monitoring, Risk Assessment, Weeds, Herbicides etc. This compilation is at present in Excel format, this will be web-enabled as a searchable database shortly. This version of the database has been developed by the IUCN SSC ISSG as part of an Overseas Territories Environmental Programme funded project XOT603 in partnership with the Cayman Islands Government - Department of Environment. The compilation is a work under progress, the ISSG will manage, maintain and enhance the database with current and newly published information, reports, journal articles etc.
Meyer, Jean-Yves, Christophe Levergne and Donald R. Hodel, 2008. Time Bombs in Gardens: Invasive Ornamental Palms in Tropical Islands, with Emphasis on French Polynesia (Pacific Ocean) and the Mascarenes (Indian Ocean) Palms Vol. 52(2) 23�35 2008
Summary: Available from: http://li-an.fr/jyves/Meyer_et_al._2008_Palms.pdf [Accessed 26 July 2010]
Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER), 2005. Risk Assessment: Livistona chinensis (Jacq.) R.Br. ex Mart., Arecaceae
Summary: Available from: http://www.hear.org/pier/wra/pacific/livistona_chinensis_htmlwra.htm [Accessed 26 July 2010]
The Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC), 2009. Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council�s 2009 List of Invasive Plant Species
Summary: Available from: http://www.fleppc.org/list/List-WW-F09-final.pdf [Accessed 26 July 2010]
General information
Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), 2010. Livistona chinensis (Jacq.) R. Br. ex Mart.
Summary: Available from: http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=503507 [Accessed 26 July 2010]
Maunder, M., B. Lyte, J. Dransfield and W.j. Baker. 2001. The Conservation Value of Botanic Garden Palm Collections. Biological Conservation 98: 259-271.
Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER), 2010. Livistona chinensis (Jacq.) R.Br. ex Mart., Arecaceae
Summary: Available from: [Accessed 26 July 2010]
Svenning, Jean-Christian, 2002. Non-Native Ornamental Palms Invade a Secondary Tropical Forest in Panama. Palms Volume 46(2) 2002
Summary: Available from: http://si-pddr.si.edu/dspace/bitstream/10088/1704/1/Svenning_Palms_2002.pdf [Accessed 26 July 2010]
USDA-ARS, 2010. Taxon: Livistona chinensis (Jacq.) R. Br. ex Mart. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
Summary: Available from: http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?22431 [Accessed 26 July 2010]
USDA-NRCS, 2010. Livistona chinensis (Jacq.) R. Br. ex Mart. fountain palm. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 20 September 2010). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.
Summary: Available from: http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=LICH3 [Accessed 26 July 2010]
Contact
The following 0 contacts offer information an advice on Livistona chinensis
Livistona chinensis
fountain palm, Chinese fan palm, Chinese fountain palm, palmeira-leque-da-china, palmier évantail de Chine, falsa-latânia
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Recommended citation
(2024). Livistona chinensis. IUCN Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT).