Spermatophyta: Monocotyledonae: Arecales

Arecaceae - Palm family

Palmae

Dransfield, J. (1986) Palmae Flora of Tropical East Africa

Description of the family

Trees, shrubs, rarely climbers. Leaves alternate, usually very large and in terminal rosettes, with a sheathing base; petiole or rhachis often prickly; lamina pinnate, bipinnate (Caryota), palmate, costapalmate or undivided, sometimes with a hastula. Inflorescences axillary, simple to paniculate, with branching up to 4 orders. Flowers usually small, unisexual (when plant is dioecious or monoecious) or bisexual. Calyx and corolla usually in whorls of 3. Stamens usually 6. Ovary superior. Fruit usually a drupe; seed usually 1.

Worldwide: 201 genera and 2,650 species, tropical (but few in Africa) and warm.

Zimbabwe: 43 cultivated genera and 90 cultivated taxa.

No image of a cultivated species but there is an image of a native or naturalised species

Links to cultivated genera:     View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this family

GenusContent
Acanthophoenix H. Wendl.
Acoelorrhaphe H. Wendl.
Adonidia Becc.
Aiphanes Willd.
Archontophoenix H.A. Wendl.Description
Arenga Labill. ex DC.
Bismarckia Hildebr. & H. Wendl.
Borassus L.Description
Brahea Mart.
Butia (Becc.) Becc.
Calamus L.Description
Carpentaria Becc.
Caryota L.Description
Chamaedorea Willd.Description
Chamaerops L.Description
Coccothrinax Sarg.
Cocos L.Description
Copernicia Mart. ex Endl.
Dictyosperma H. Wendl. & Drude
Dypsis Mart.Description
Elaeis Jacq.Description
Gaussia H. Wendl.
Howea Becc.
Hyophorbe Gaertn.Description
Latania Comm. ex Juss.
Leucothrinax C. Lewis & Zona
Licuala Wurmb
Livistona R. Br.Description
Nannorrhops H. Wendl.
Phoenix L.Description
Pseudophoenix H. Wendl. ex Sarg.
Ptychosperma Labill.Description
Rhapis L.f. ex AitonDescription
Roystonea O.F. CookDescription
Sabal Adans.Description
Serenoa Hook. f.
Syagrus Mart.Description
Trachycarpus H.A. Wendl.
Trithrinax Mart.
Veitchia H. Wendl.
Wallichia Roxb.
Washingtonia H.A. Wendl.Description
Wodyetia A.K. Irvine

Other sources of information about Arecaceae:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Arecaceae
Flora of Caprivi: Arecaceae
Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Arecaceae
Flora of Malawi: Arecaceae
Flora of Mozambique: Arecaceae
Flora of Mozambique: cultivated Arecaceae
Flora of Zambia: Arecaceae
Flora of Zambia: cultivated Arecaceae
Flora of Zimbabwe: Arecaceae

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Arecaceae
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Arecaceae
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Arecaceae
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Arecaceae
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Arecaceae
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Arecaceae
JSTOR Plant Science: Arecaceae
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Arecaceae
Wikipedia: Arecaceae
Plants of the World Online: Arecaceae
Tropicos: Arecaceae



Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Cultivated plants: Family page: Arecaceae.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/cult/family.php?family_id=20, retrieved 20 April 2024

Site software last modified: 10 August 2019 10:35pm (GMT +2)
Terms of use