e-Key v3 - Phoenix
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Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Arecaceae - Phoenix L.

Description :

  • Caulescent, rarely stemless, often suckering, dioecious
  • Stems slender, fibrous, bossed
  • Leaves pinnate; leaflets lanceolate or ensiform, induplicate, reduced to spines towards base; petiole margin unarmed; leaf bases persistent
  • Flowers in axillary pendulous panicles, unisexual, yellow, small, regularly spaced (not grouped)
  • Male flowers : calyx cupular, 3-toothed; petals 3, oblong, valvate; stamens 6, filaments connate at base; ovary rudimentary or 0
  • Female flowers : calyx as in male; petals short, truncate; staminodes 6, connate into a membranous cup; carpels 3, free; stigma sessile
  • Fruit a berry developing from 1 carpel, oblong, 1-seeded with a fleshy pericarp
  • Seed ovoid, grooved ventrally
  • x = 18 (14)

Nomenclature:

  • Phoenix L.
    • Linnaeus: 1188 (1753)
    • Wright: 29 (1897)
    • Friedrich-Holzhammer: 1 (1967)
    • Wicht: 27 (1969)
    • Dransfield: 14 (1986)
    • Uhl & Dransfield: 214 (1987)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species ± 17, Africa to Asia
  • Southern Africa : Species 1: Phoenix reclinata Jacq., Namibia, Botswana, Northern Province, Mpumalanga, Swaziland, eastern lowveld areas in KwaZulu-Natal as far south as Bathurst District in Eastern Cape

References:

  • DRANSFIELD, J. 1986. Flora of tropical East Africa . Palmae
  • FRIEDRICH-HOLZHAMMER, M. 1967. Arecaceae . Prodromus einer Flora von Südwestafrika 161
  • LINNAEUS, C. 1753. Species plantarum . Laurentius Salvius, Stockholm
  • WRIGHT, C.H. 1897. Palmae . Flora capensis 7
  • UHL, N. & DRANSFIELD, J.W. 1987. Genera palmarum . International Palm Society and Allen Press, Lawrence KS
  • WICHT, H. 1969. The indigenous palms of southern Africa . Timmins, Cape Town