Eleiodoxa

taxobox
name = "Eleiodoxa"
regnum = Plantae
unranked_divisio = Angiosperms
unranked_classis = Monocots
unranked_ordo = Commelinids
ordo = Arecales
familia = Arecaceae
subfamilia = Calamoideae
tribus = Calameae
genus = "Eleiodoxa"
genus_authority = (Becc.) BurretBurret, Notizblatt des Botanischen Gartens und Museums zu Berlin-Dahlem 15:733. 1942]
species = "E. conferta"
binomial = "Eleiodoxa conferta"
binomial_authority = (Griff.) Burret|

"Eleiodoxa" is a monotypic genus of flowering plant in the palm family found in Southeast Asia. The only species, "Eleiodoxa conferta", is a dioecious, swamp-dwelling plant, commonly called kelumi or asam paya. While as many as five species have been described, four are usually recognized as synonyms of the lectotype "E. conferta". The genus is named from two Greek words meaning "water" and "glory" and the species name is Latin for "congested", an allusion to the flower spike.Riffle, Robert L. and Craft, Paul (2003) "An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms". Portland: Timber Press. ISBN-10: 0881925586 / ISBN-13: 978-0881925586]

Description

While remaining underground, the trunks of these palms are clustering and form dense thickets. As one of the few hapaxanths in the family, individual trunks are determinate and die after flowering. A mature leaf reaches 3.5 m in length on 3 m petioles which are armed with whorls of 5 - 7 cm long spines. The green to deep green pinnae are regularly arranged along the rachis, 1.5 m in length, and toothed along the margins. The inflorescence emerges at ground level, bearing either male or female flowers, in the latter forming scaly, red fruit with one or occasionally two seeds.

Distribution and habitat

Found in tropical Thailand, Malaysia, Borneo and Sumatra in peat swamp forest facies and fresh water swamps they are highly gregarious, forming large colonies.

Cultivation and uses

When this palm is cultivated it demands generous water, and rich, acidic soil and shade or filtered light. In habitat, the palm heart is consumed and the leaves are used in thatching. The fruit are often pickled and used as a substitute for tamarind or made into sweetmeat.Uhl, Natalie W. and Dransfield, John (1987) "Genera Palmarum - A classification of palms based on the work of Harold E. Moore". Lawrence, Kansas: Allen Press. ISBN-10: ISBN-10: 0935868305 / ISBN-13: 978-0935868302]

References

reflist

External links

* [http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?4162 "Eleiodoxa" on NPGS/GRIN]
* [http://data.gbif.org/species/14721776 GBIF Portal]
* [http://palmguide.org/genus.php?family=ARECACEAE&genus=Eleiodoxa Fairchild Guide to Palms: "Eleiodoxa"]