Hastula Sampler
Hastulas are found only on fan shaped palm leaves, not feather shaped palms.
The hastula is formed by the joining of the stem (rachis) to the leaf. It cannot be thought of as a definitive identification because the hastulas vary with the maturity of the tree and the age of the leaf. They also vary somewhat from individual tree to individual. However, studying the hastula can narrow identification, especially when combined with clues from the trunk, thorns, leaf color, etc.
Type 1 (Scythe)
Sabal uresana: The two dominant leaves in front distract from the view the hastula top. Look to the left in the background toward the bottom.
Sabal domingensis: This frontal view hides the rachis behind because of the arch of the leaf.
Sabal rosei: Frontal view.
Sabal rosei: View from the trunk side.
Sabal etonia: This Sabal has very stiff leaves.
Sabal minor: Trunkless variety, multiplies laterally forming clusters.
Type 2 (Shovel)
A. Braheas
Brahea brandegeei
Brahea brandegeei
The central rib does not penetrate as far into the leaf as it does in leaf type #1. Notice how the shoulders of the mature leaf curve back over and reveal the white-washed underside in this view from the trunk angle.
Brahea armata: Silver color on both sides of the leaf.
Brahea aculeata: Aculeata, decumbens, nitida and sarukhanii can have mature leaves that are often 360 degrees.
B. Livistonas
Livistona australis
Livistona australis
Notice in this mature example how the leaf "shoulders" in this species curve forward, standing up and over the leaf. From the front and side it gives me the impression of an elephant with its ears cocked. In contrast to the Brahea brandegeei both the top and bottom of the leaves are green.
Livistona Eungella range
Livistona Eungella range
L. australis and L. Eungella range are hard to tell apart. They may not be two species. The difference I see in the leaves is that the shoulders in mature L. Eungella range curve up, but not noticeably back over the top of the leaf as they do in L. australis.
Eungella, fulva, saribus, nitida and roundafolia may have leaves that are 360 degrees or nearly so.
Livistona fulva
Livistona fulva: This is a little more relaxed looking leaf and has a lovely brownish yellow color on the underside of the newer leaves.
Similar Type 2 Genera: Acoelorraphe wrightii, Bismarckia, Brahea, Livistona, Washingtonia
Type 3 (Spatula)
Chamaerops humilis: There is a great deal of variation in the leaves, hastula and color of this multi-trunked genus. The color varies from silver to dark green. All leaves are deeply split - nearly to the hastula in some cases.
Rhapidophyllum hystrix: This is a relatively small palm with long, almost invisible needles on the trunk.
Guihaia argyrata: A small multi-trunked palm with lovely leaves
Nannorrhops ritchiana: Mature trunks will form branches!
Trachycarpus Naga Hills
Trachycarpus fortunei, T. wagnerianus, T. Nain Tal and T. Naga Hills are variations of the T. fortunei species. They have very similar hastulas and can not be definitively told apart until a number of other traits are taken into consideration.
You can use the search engine on this site to isolate a genus in order to compare some of the definitive characteristics of each species. The following photographs of T. martianus and T. latisectus exemplify some of the research that is possible on this Web site when there are a number of species in a genus.
Trachycarpus martianus, juvenile plant
Trachycarpus latisectus, juvenile plant
T. martianus and T. latisectus leaves both start out with lots of white tomentum (thick fuzz), but martianus is the most markedly wooly of the two.
Trachycarpus martianus, juvenile hastula
Trachycarpus latisectus, juvenile hastula
Searching fan palms use the following words: contour, canopy, crown, mature trunk, juvenile trunk, heart, new growth, leaf profile, leaf top, hastula top, leaf back, hastula back, flowers, fruit, seed. For feather palms the terms recognizable by the system will be contour, canopy, crown, trunk mature, trunk juvenile, heart, new growth, leaf profile, rachis top, rachis back, leaflet joint, flowers, fruit, seed. First type the genus name followed by the category you wish to view. For example: Trachycarpus leaf back will bring to view pictures all of the leaf back images of the Trachycarpus genus on this web site.
Trachycarpus martianus, mature hastula: the hastula is somewhat pointed.
Trachycarpus latisectus, mature hastula: this species has a more rounded hastula and a nearly circular leaf
Trachycarpus martianus, mature leaf, side rear: notice the heavier substance of the leaf and thicker upward curve of the leaf at the hastula.
Trachycarpus latisectus, mature leaf, side rear: this leaf is of thinner substance and the upward tilt of the leaf at the hastula connection is not as obvious as in the martianus.
I have dealt in a little more detail with the Trachycarpus species because it luxuriates in the cooler climates of northern California and banana belts in Oregon and Vancouver, Canada.
If you are struggling a bit with identification of a species don't be discouraged. Familiarity and the education of your eye takes time. Even the experts still argue about over identification. They change their minds and make mistakes too. Additionally, palms of the same species growing away from their native, isolated habitat can hybridize and so may not be definitively identified as one specific species or another. Smile and enjoy the exercise.
Similar Type 3 Palmate Genera: Chamaerops; Guihaia, Trithrinax, Nannorrhops, Rhapis, Copernicia, Trithrinax