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Arecaceae (palm)

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Plant Families
This chapter is in the book Plant Families
PLANT FAMILIES: A GUIDE FOR GARDENERS AND BOTANISTS90SizeThere are around 2,400 palm species. Well-known examples are coconut, date, and oil palms, and to a lesser extent, sago, betel-nut, and the rattans from which cane furniture is constructed.RangeWhile palms stretch from Mediterranean France in the north, to New Zealand in the south, they are primarily a tropical family. They can be found on every continent except Antarctica.OriginsWith their tough leaves and trunks, palms have preserved well as fossils, providing a record dating back at least 80 million years to the Upper Cretaceous.Flowers The basic bloom of palms is not highly ornate or decorative. They typically have three small sepals, three small petals, and six stamens, and usually lack vivid color or scent. Some palms make up for this deficiency by producing lots of flowers; the inflorescence of talipot palm (Corypha) is the largest of all plants, with more than 23 million individual flowers.FruitPalm fruits range from bright red, orange, and yellow to glossy black. Rattan fruits are covered in unique, almost reptilian scales, while others bear spines, hairs, or warts. The seaborne fruits of coconut have fibrous husks for flotation. Within each fruit are one or more seeds, sometimes protected by a hard outer layer. These range in size, the smallest being less than half an inch and the largest being double coconut (Lodoicea), which at 12 inches long and 55 pounds in weight is the world’s largest seed.The quintessential tropical plant, palms are a conspicuous component of their environment. They are usually single-stemmed trees topped with a crown of leaves, but some cluster or branch to form shrubs or vines.Arecaceae The palm familyCorypha taliera, talipot palmThe resources required to produce the world’s largest flowering structure are so great that this palm dies after fruiting.Cocos nucifera,coconut palm
© 2020 University of Chicago Press

PLANT FAMILIES: A GUIDE FOR GARDENERS AND BOTANISTS90SizeThere are around 2,400 palm species. Well-known examples are coconut, date, and oil palms, and to a lesser extent, sago, betel-nut, and the rattans from which cane furniture is constructed.RangeWhile palms stretch from Mediterranean France in the north, to New Zealand in the south, they are primarily a tropical family. They can be found on every continent except Antarctica.OriginsWith their tough leaves and trunks, palms have preserved well as fossils, providing a record dating back at least 80 million years to the Upper Cretaceous.Flowers The basic bloom of palms is not highly ornate or decorative. They typically have three small sepals, three small petals, and six stamens, and usually lack vivid color or scent. Some palms make up for this deficiency by producing lots of flowers; the inflorescence of talipot palm (Corypha) is the largest of all plants, with more than 23 million individual flowers.FruitPalm fruits range from bright red, orange, and yellow to glossy black. Rattan fruits are covered in unique, almost reptilian scales, while others bear spines, hairs, or warts. The seaborne fruits of coconut have fibrous husks for flotation. Within each fruit are one or more seeds, sometimes protected by a hard outer layer. These range in size, the smallest being less than half an inch and the largest being double coconut (Lodoicea), which at 12 inches long and 55 pounds in weight is the world’s largest seed.The quintessential tropical plant, palms are a conspicuous component of their environment. They are usually single-stemmed trees topped with a crown of leaves, but some cluster or branch to form shrubs or vines.Arecaceae The palm familyCorypha taliera, talipot palmThe resources required to produce the world’s largest flowering structure are so great that this palm dies after fruiting.Cocos nucifera,coconut palm
© 2020 University of Chicago Press

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter 1
  2. Contents 4
  3. Preface 6
  4. How to use this book 7
  5. Introducing plant family trees 8
  6. The plant family tree 10
  7. From the first plants to flowers 12
  8. Ferns—fronds to fiddleheads 16
  9. Gymnosperms 18
  10. Angiosperms 20
  11. Monocotyledons (monocots) 22
  12. Eudicotyledons (eudicots) 24
  13. What to look for when identifying plants 26
  14. The different plant types 28
  15. Roots and stems 30
  16. Leaves 32
  17. Flowers 34
  18. Fruit and seeds 36
  19. Key to major groups 38
  20. Chapter 1
  21. Gymnosperms 47
  22. Cycadaceae, Stangeriaceae, and Zamiaceae (cycads) 48
  23. Ginkgoaceae (ginkgo) 50
  24. Araucariaceae (monkey-puzzle) 52
  25. Podocarpaceae (podocarp) 54
  26. Pinaceae (pine) 56
  27. Cupressaceae (cypress) 60
  28. Taxaceae (yew) 64
  29. Chapter 2
  30. Monocots and Early Angiosperms 67
  31. Nymphaeaceae (waterlily) 68
  32. Magnoliaceae (magnolia) 70
  33. Araceae (arum) 72
  34. Melanthiaceae (wake-robin) 74
  35. Colchicaceae (autumn crocus) 76
  36. Liliaceae (lily) 78
  37. Orchidaceae (orchid) 80
  38. Iridaceae (iris) 82
  39. Amaryllidaceae (daffodil) 84
  40. Asphodelaceae (daylily) 86
  41. Asparagaceae (asparagus) 88
  42. Arecaceae (palm) 90
  43. Zingiberaceae (ginger) 92
  44. Bromeliaceae (pineapple) 94
  45. Poaceae (grass) 96
  46. Chapter 3
  47. Eudicots 101
  48. Berberidaceae (barberry) 102
  49. Papaveraceae (poppy) 104
  50. Ranunculaceae (buttercup) 106
  51. Crassulaceae (stonecrop) 110
  52. Hamamelidaceae (witch hazel) 112
  53. Paeoniaceae (peony) 114
  54. Saxifragaceae (saxifrage) 116
  55. Euphorbiaceae (spurge) 118
  56. Salicaceae (willow) 120
  57. Violaceae (violet) 122
  58. Fabaceae (legume) 124
  59. Moraceae (mulberry) 128
  60. Rosaceae (rose) 130
  61. Begoniaceae (begonia) 134
  62. Cucurbitaceae (squash) 136
  63. Betulaceae (birch) 138
  64. Fagaceae (oak) 140
  65. Juglandaceae (walnut) 142
  66. Geraniaceae (cranesbill) 144
  67. Myrtaceae (myrtle) 146
  68. Onagraceae (evening primrose) 148
  69. Sapindaceae (maple) 150
  70. Rutaceae (citrus) 152
  71. Malvaceae (mallow) 154
  72. Cistaceae (rock rose) 158
  73. Brassicaceae (cabbage) 160
  74. Amaranthaceae (amaranth) 162
  75. Cactaceae (cactus) 164
  76. Caryophyllaceae (carnation) 166
  77. Droseraceae (sundew) 170
  78. Polygonaceae (rhubarb) 172
  79. Cornaceae (dogwood) 174
  80. Hydrangeaceae (hydrangea) 176
  81. Ericaceae (heather) 178
  82. Primulaceae (primrose) 180
  83. Theaceae (camellia) 182
  84. Convolvulaceae (morning glory) 184
  85. Solanaceae (nightshade) 186
  86. Apocynaceae (milkweed) 188
  87. Gentianaceae (gentian) 190
  88. Lamiaceae (mint) 192
  89. Oleaceae (olive) 196
  90. Scrophulariaceae (figwort) 198
  91. Plantaginaceae (plantain) 200
  92. Boraginaceae (borage) 202
  93. Asteraceae (daisy) 204
  94. Campanulaceae (bellflower) 208
  95. Apiaceae (carrot) 210
  96. Araliaceae (aralia) 212
  97. Adoxaceae (elder) 214
  98. Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle) 216
  99. Glossary of botanical terms 218
  100. Index 220
  101. Bibliography 224
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https://doi.org/10.7208/9780226536675-038

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter 1
  2. Contents 4
  3. Preface 6
  4. How to use this book 7
  5. Introducing plant family trees 8
  6. The plant family tree 10
  7. From the first plants to flowers 12
  8. Ferns—fronds to fiddleheads 16
  9. Gymnosperms 18
  10. Angiosperms 20
  11. Monocotyledons (monocots) 22
  12. Eudicotyledons (eudicots) 24
  13. What to look for when identifying plants 26
  14. The different plant types 28
  15. Roots and stems 30
  16. Leaves 32
  17. Flowers 34
  18. Fruit and seeds 36
  19. Key to major groups 38
  20. Chapter 1
  21. Gymnosperms 47
  22. Cycadaceae, Stangeriaceae, and Zamiaceae (cycads) 48
  23. Ginkgoaceae (ginkgo) 50
  24. Araucariaceae (monkey-puzzle) 52
  25. Podocarpaceae (podocarp) 54
  26. Pinaceae (pine) 56
  27. Cupressaceae (cypress) 60
  28. Taxaceae (yew) 64
  29. Chapter 2
  30. Monocots and Early Angiosperms 67
  31. Nymphaeaceae (waterlily) 68
  32. Magnoliaceae (magnolia) 70
  33. Araceae (arum) 72
  34. Melanthiaceae (wake-robin) 74
  35. Colchicaceae (autumn crocus) 76
  36. Liliaceae (lily) 78
  37. Orchidaceae (orchid) 80
  38. Iridaceae (iris) 82
  39. Amaryllidaceae (daffodil) 84
  40. Asphodelaceae (daylily) 86
  41. Asparagaceae (asparagus) 88
  42. Arecaceae (palm) 90
  43. Zingiberaceae (ginger) 92
  44. Bromeliaceae (pineapple) 94
  45. Poaceae (grass) 96
  46. Chapter 3
  47. Eudicots 101
  48. Berberidaceae (barberry) 102
  49. Papaveraceae (poppy) 104
  50. Ranunculaceae (buttercup) 106
  51. Crassulaceae (stonecrop) 110
  52. Hamamelidaceae (witch hazel) 112
  53. Paeoniaceae (peony) 114
  54. Saxifragaceae (saxifrage) 116
  55. Euphorbiaceae (spurge) 118
  56. Salicaceae (willow) 120
  57. Violaceae (violet) 122
  58. Fabaceae (legume) 124
  59. Moraceae (mulberry) 128
  60. Rosaceae (rose) 130
  61. Begoniaceae (begonia) 134
  62. Cucurbitaceae (squash) 136
  63. Betulaceae (birch) 138
  64. Fagaceae (oak) 140
  65. Juglandaceae (walnut) 142
  66. Geraniaceae (cranesbill) 144
  67. Myrtaceae (myrtle) 146
  68. Onagraceae (evening primrose) 148
  69. Sapindaceae (maple) 150
  70. Rutaceae (citrus) 152
  71. Malvaceae (mallow) 154
  72. Cistaceae (rock rose) 158
  73. Brassicaceae (cabbage) 160
  74. Amaranthaceae (amaranth) 162
  75. Cactaceae (cactus) 164
  76. Caryophyllaceae (carnation) 166
  77. Droseraceae (sundew) 170
  78. Polygonaceae (rhubarb) 172
  79. Cornaceae (dogwood) 174
  80. Hydrangeaceae (hydrangea) 176
  81. Ericaceae (heather) 178
  82. Primulaceae (primrose) 180
  83. Theaceae (camellia) 182
  84. Convolvulaceae (morning glory) 184
  85. Solanaceae (nightshade) 186
  86. Apocynaceae (milkweed) 188
  87. Gentianaceae (gentian) 190
  88. Lamiaceae (mint) 192
  89. Oleaceae (olive) 196
  90. Scrophulariaceae (figwort) 198
  91. Plantaginaceae (plantain) 200
  92. Boraginaceae (borage) 202
  93. Asteraceae (daisy) 204
  94. Campanulaceae (bellflower) 208
  95. Apiaceae (carrot) 210
  96. Araliaceae (aralia) 212
  97. Adoxaceae (elder) 214
  98. Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle) 216
  99. Glossary of botanical terms 218
  100. Index 220
  101. Bibliography 224
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