Chatham Island Nikau Palm

Chatham Island nīkau is recorded within Rhopalostylis sapida, though New Zealand Plant Conservation Network notes the island population may be distinct and needs further study. Its juvenile form, fruit size, and frond indumentum differ from mainland populations. ## Form and range Nīkau is an unbranched palm with a ringed trunk and a crown of long leaves divided into narrow leaflets. The species profile describes coastal to lowland forest habitat, pink-lilac flowers beneath the crown, and red fruit. The Chatham and Pitt Islands population is geographically separate from mainland New Zealand populations, while its formal taxonomic rank remains unresolved. ## Sources [New Zealand Plant Conservation Network: Rhopalostylis sapida](https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/rhopalostylis-sapida/) · [University of Auckland: Nīkau palm](https://www.nzplants.auckland.ac.nz/en/about/seed-plants-flowering/arecaceae/rhopalostylis-sapida.html) ## Maintenance Protect the crown and roots when handling young palms, and provide room for the mature fronds.