Phoenix roebelenii

taxobox
name = "Phoenix roebelenii"

---

regnum = Plantae
unranked_divisio = Angiosperms
unranked_classis = Monocots
unranked_ordo = Commelinids
ordo = Arecales
familia = Arecaceae
genus = "Phoenix"
species = "P. roebelenii"
binomial = "Phoenix roebelenii"
binomial_authority = O'Brien|

"Phoenix roebelenii" (Pygmy Date Palm or Miniature Date Palm) is a species of date palm native to southeastern Asia from southwestern China (Yunnan) to northern Laos and northern Vietnam.Kew Checklist of Arecaceae: [http://www.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?accepted_id=152704&repSynonym_id=-9998&name_id=152704&status=true "Phoenix roebelenii"] ] Germplasm Resources Information Network: [http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?28056 "Phoenix roebelenii"] ] The name is sometimes mistakenly cited as "roebelinii".

It is a small, slow-growing slender tree growing to 2 meters or 6-7 feet tall. It requires little pruning to develop a strong structure, is resistant to pests, is tolerant to soil variation, and is moderately drought tolerant. The leaves are 60-120 cm long, pinnate with around 100 leaflets arranged in a single plane (unlike the related "P. loureiroi" where the leaflets are in two planes). Each leaflet is 15-25 cm long and 1 cm broad, slightly drooping, and grey-green in colour with scurfy pubescence below. The flowers are small, yellowish, produced on a 45 cm inflorescence. The fruit is a 1 cm drupe resembling a small, thin-fleshed date.Huxley, A., ed. (1992). "New RHS Dictionary of Gardening". Macmillan ISBN 0-333-47494-5.]

Cultivation and uses

The Pygmy Date Palm is a popular ornamental plant in tropical to warm temperate areas, including Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, southern California, coastal Texas, and Florida.

References