Palm family
= Family Arecaceae
Description
A large and ancient family of monocotyledonous woody plants, mainly tropical in distribution, forming a characteristic feature of tropical vegetation in different habitats (Palmae 1).
Growth takes place from an apical meristem only, there is no secondary growth. The stems are unbranched, with a tuft of leaves on the top (Palmae 3,Palmae 4). The leaves are usually palmate or pinnate, with plicate leaflets. The inflorescences (Palmae 2) are variable, having various bracts. The flowers are small, unisexual or bisexual, with 3 petals and 3 sepals, 6 stamens in two whorls and a superior ovary. The fruit is usually a 1-seeded berry or drupe, fleshy to dry, indehiscent and very variable in size.
There are about 200 genera.
Use
Palms are used in innumerable ways. Trunks provide timber, starch and fibres. Leaves and leaflets provide vegetable wax and are used for thatching and to make mats and other articles. The terminal bud is often edible. Some palms have edible fruits, which may also be an important source of vegetable oils. The inflorescence may be tapped for sap which yields palm wine and sugar. The hard endosperm of some species provides vegetable ivory.
Described species
Areca catechu, areca or betel palm
Cocos nucifera, coconut palm
Elaeis guineensis, oil palm
Phoenix dactylifera, date palm
Arenga pinnata, sugar palm
Borassus aethiopicum, palmyra or borassus palm
Borassus flabellifer, see Borassus aethiopicum
Metroxylon sagu, sago palm
Calamus sp., rattan
Copernicia cerifera, carnauba wax palm
Hyphaene thebaica, doum palm
Phytelephas macrocarpa, ivory-nut palm
Raphia sp., raffia palm
Lodoicea maldivica, double coconut or coco-de-mer
Salacca edulis, salak palm