Palmyra palm
| Borassus | |
|---|---|
.JPG) |
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| Borassus flabellifer in Karainagar, Sri Lanka | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| (unranked): | Commelinids |
| Order: | Arecales |
| Family: | Arecaceae |
| Subfamily: | Coryphoideae |
| Tribe: | Borasseae |
| Subtribe: | Lataniinae |
| Genus: |
Borassus L. |
| Type species | |
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Borassus flabellifer L. |
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| Species | |
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See text. |
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| Synonyms | |
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See text.
Borassus (Palmyra palm) is a genus of five species of fan palms, native to tropical regions of Africa, Asia and New Guinea. These massive palms can grow up to 30 m (98 ft) high and have robust trunks with distinct leaf scars; in some species the trunk develops a distinct swelling just below the crown, though for unknown reasons. The leaves are fan-shaped, 2–3 m long and with spines along the petiole margins (no spines in B. heineanus). The leaf sheath has a distinct cleft at its base, through which the inflorescences appear; old leaf sheaths are retained on the trunk, but fall away with time. All Borassus palms are dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants; male flowers are less than 1 cm long and in semi-circular clusters, sandwiched between leathery bracts in pendulous catkins; female flowers are 3–5 cm wide, globe-shaped and solitary, sitting directly on the surface of the inflorescence axis. The fruits are 15–25 cm wide, roughly spherical and each contain 1-3 large seeds. Depending on species, fruit color varies from black to brown, yellow or orange; the fibrous pulp is aromatic and sweet to taste. Each seed is enclosed in a woody endocarp, which protects it when the fruit is consumed by elephants, monkeys and other frugivores. At germination, the young seedling extends downwards into the soil and only a few leaves are visible above ground; this provides some protection against frequent fires in its savanna habitat; after an indeterminate number of years (the establishment phase), the seedling forms a stem and quickly grows above the savanna vegetation, where it is then less vulnerable to fire.
Palmyra palms are economically useful and widely cultivated, especially in southeast Asia. The palmyra palm has long been one of the most important trees of Cambodia and India, where it has over 800 uses. The leaves are used for thatching, mats, baskets, fans, hats, umbrellas, and as writing material.
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Wikipedia