The Foxtail Palm #2

Botanical Name : Wodyetia bifurcata

One of the most difficult to spot (besides spotting various palm species!) for a novice like me, is that of the infloresence and frutescence of the palm trees.  In tropical Malaysia, plants and trees flower and fruit in their own time since close to none are affected by seasonal changes which we don't have, other than the monsoon (more rain!) and non-monsoon months.

Anyone ever noticed how rare it is to see palm trees laden with fruits? Even if they have had, unannounced, to the non-attentive, one would have missed the most highlighted event in any palm's life.

Unlike the coconut and oil palms, where their fruit bearings are a regular feature on the tropical landscape what with the non-commercial species?  Except for the few which I could count on the palm of my hand, sighting this arresting rows of Foxtail Palms with trailing frutescence in Bangsar KL (an upmarket residential suburb) was pretty awesome!

foxtailed in Bangsar

bunches of joy

Having caught glimpse of a bunch a week ago, felt I shouldn't leave it too long in case they get lopped off by the council maintenance team, eaten by frugivores or simply terminated by anti-social behavior especially with anything on public land!  Fortunately, it was still there and perhaps a hundred, yes 100 more since the palms adorned both sides of a very long street! 

The bountiful bunches held fruits in various stages of development. As any palm owner would yearn for, their labour of love coming to fruition and what a glorious sight above except for the mess created by the fallen ones below...

grounded

From the ground, I had my pick of 3 plump ones which looked like any delicious red plum or nectarine.

Here's a section of the fruit showing a thin layer of juicy orange flesh while exposing a black seed with silky surrounds. Apparently edible but bland according to some notes.

As for me, definitely not game enough to try an unmarketed fruit even though it looks safe to eat ;).