The Singapore Walking Stick Palm

Botanical Name : Rhopaloblaste singaporensis / Ptychoraphis singaporensis
a.k.a. Kerinting (Malay)

Native to Malaysia and Singapore.  There isn't much available information for this species online.

What really attracts me are the finest crown of bright green feather fronds.  Pinnately arranged, it has that  'delicate' look to enthrall.  So you can possibly see why I'm overboard with the feather frond shots... just such exquisite beauty!

Normally, a cluster palm however, here it is seen as both, solitary with a cluster slightly a meter away.  

These are classed as small, tropical rainforest understory palms growing to less than 3m tall.Thrives in the moist, warm and sheltered areas. So these palms found in the basement car park level of the 1U shopping mall are positioned in perfect conditions.

The strong and straight stems are cut and polished to make sturdy walking sticks.  At least now I know which type of mobility assistance tool to look out for should there be need for one in future ;)

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud - William Wordsworth

On going through my picture library, found this shot of a cloud which then jump started a spring in my head - reminiscent of the good old English literature days...

Livistona rotundifolia

I wandered lonely as a cloud

that floats on high o'er vales and hills,

when all at once I saw a crowd,

a host, of golden daffodils;

beside the lake, beneath the trees,

fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

and twinkle on the milky way,

they stretched in never ending line

along the margin of a bay:

ten thousand, saw I at a glance

tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them dance; but they

out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

a poet could not but be gay,

in such a jocund company:

I gazed---and gazed---but little thought

what wealth the show to me had brought.

For oft when on the couch I lie

in vacant or in pensive mood,

they flash upon that inward eye

which is the bliss for solitude;

and then my heart with pleasure fills,

and dances with the daffodils.

                                                                William Wordsworth

                                                                                                  1770-1850

p.s. if need be, I could substitute 'palms' for 'daffodils' but rhyme it would not!

The Carribean Royal Palm

Botanical Name : Roystonea oleracea

Native to the Guadalope, Dominica and Martinique in the Lesser Antilles, Trinidad & Tobago, parts of northern South America, this is one of the neatest ornamental imperial palms seen to date.

Its solitary trunk is grey or whitish grey and may reach heights of over 100ft tall. Towards the top, encircled leaf sheaths make up its smooth green crownshaft.  This magnificent looking palm has a crown of long pinnately arranged luxuriant feather fronds. Such a healthy green that is really pleasing to the eyes!

young one

self cleaning

a starfish in the sky

Its inflorescence comprise both male and female flowers and the elongated fruits turn purplish black when ripe which is interesting diet for our birds. 

solid & sturdy

royal front @ 1U new wing

The tallest and most majestic of the royal palms, one certainly cannot dispute the fact. A very popular yet perfect landscaping choice for most commercial developments with huge gardens or on very wide avenues.
Makes for a grand feeling to be driven through such rows of exotic tropicals.