4. Phoenix L., Sp. Pl. 2: 1188. 1753.
Taxon Description
Trees or shrubs, stems very short to tall, densely covered with persistent petiole bases. Leaf sheath fibrous, flagellum and ocrea absent. Petiole very short. Leaves imparipinnate, unarmed; leaflets induplicate, regularly arranged or grouped, lower leaflets modified as spines. Dioecious. Inflorescence interfoliar, branched to 1 order, eflagellate; prophyll large, 2-keeled, tubular at base. Male inflorescence with slender, spiral rachillae. Male flower subtended by a small, non-persistent bracteole, sepals 3, connate into a short cupule, petals 3, exceeding the calyx, stamens 6. Female inflorescence with slender, spiral rachillae, elongating after fertilization. Female flowers globose, sepals 3, connate into a cupule, petals 3, wide, imbricate, staminodes 6, minute, carpels 3, connate, each with a single recurved stigma. Fruit 1-seeded, red or blue-black, oblong-ovoid, smooth.
Taxon Statistics
Worldwide 15 species distributed in tropical and warm regions (Mabberley 2017). Three species in Nepal.
Key to Species
1 a Trees, trunk to 15 m. Petiole bases falling off ……………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3. P. sylvestris
b Shrubs or dwarf trees, trunk to 3 m. Petiole bases persistent …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2
2 a Shrubs. Stems bulbous, to 20 cm. Leaflets 16–24 each side of rachis. Inflorescence scarcely exceeding beyond prophyll. Fruits densely crowded ……..….1. P. acaulis
b Dwarf trees. Stems slender, to 3 m. Leaflets 40–130 each side of rachis. Inflorescence exserted from prophyll. Fruits well-separated.2. P. loureiroi var. pedunculata
1. Phoenix acaulis Roxb., Pl. Coromandel 3: 69 (1820).
भूई थाकल bhooee Thaakal (Nepali)
Shrubs to ca. 20 cm. Stems bulbiferous, covered with old leaf bases, solitary. Leaves 1.5–2 m; acanthophylls 6–10 on each side of rachis, 2–8 cm; leaflets 16–24 on each side of rachis, ensiform, irregularly arranged, 30–38 Χ 1.2–1.5 cm. Inflorescence short, borne at ground level. Male inflorescence ca. 15 cm, rachillae 15–20, 3–5 cm. Female inflorescences not extending beyond prophyll; prophyll papery, c. 25 X 4–6 cm; peduncle ca. 9–12 x 1.4 cm, not extending on fruit maturity; rachillae 15–20, 4–14 cm, in one compact whorl. Female flowers ca. 5–20 on each rachilla, congested in arrangement, each subtended by a distinct rachilla swelling (bractiform notch), 3–10 mm; calyx cupule, 3 mm; petals 5–6 x 4 mm. Fruits dense, bright red, obovoid, to ca. 1.8 cm. Seeds elongate, 10 X 5 mm.
Distribution: Nepal, E Himalayan, Assam-Burma and S Asia.
Altitudinal range: 100–1400 m
Flowering: November–January Fruiting: April–June
Ecology: Understorey of open sal forest and grassy slopes in open Pinus roxburghii forest.
2. Phoenix loureiroi var. pedunculata (Griff.) Govaerts, World Checklist Palms 171 (2005).
Phoenix pedunculata Griff., Palms Brit. E. Ind: 139 (1850); Phoenix humilis var.
pedunculata (Griff.) Becc.; Phoenix humilis Royle ex Becc.
थाकल Thakal (Nepali)
Dwarf trees to ca. 3 m. Stems sometimes short and subterranean, covered with old leaf bases, solitary or clustered. Leaf sheath reddish- brown, reticulate, fibrous. Leaves 1.5–2 m, acanthophylls 6–8 on each side of rachis, 4–8 cm; leaflets 40–130 on each side of rachis, linear, irregularly arranged, 20–50 X 1–4 cm. Male inflorescence erect, to 20 cm, branched to 1 order, not exceeding prophyll; prophyll tubular at base, club shaped, reddish brown, lacerate; rachillae up to 15, 3–5 cm. Female inflorescence to 30 cm (to 70 cm in fruiting stage); branched to 2 or 3 orders; rachillae to 15, 10–13 cm X 1–3 mm. Fruit well separated on rachillae, blue-black, ovoid to obovoid, 1.2–1.5 cm X 4–8 mm, calyx and corolla persistent in fruit, calyx c. 2 mm, Corolla lobes c. 3 X 4 mm, overlapping, Seeds 1.1–1.4 cm X 5–8 mm.
Distribution: Nepal, W Himalaya, E Himalaya, Assam-Burma, S Asia, E Asia & SE Asia
Altitudinal range: 150–900 m
Flowering: November Fruiting: January–May
Ecology: Understorey of open, disturbed sal forest and on grassy hill slopes.
Ripe fruits are edible. The leaf base is used as a substitute for a broom. (ref. Plants and People of Nepal: Manandhar, 2002).
3. Phoenix sylvestris (L.) Roxb., Fl. Ind., ed. 1832, 3: 787 (1832).
Elate sylvestris L., Sp. Pl. :1189 (1753).
Khajur (खजुर)
Trees to ca. 15 m. Stems covered with diamond-shaped leaf bases, solitary. Leaf sheath reddish-brown, reticulate, fibrous. Leaves c.1.5 m, acanthophylls 13–18 on each side of rachis, 4–14 cm; leaflets 80–90 on each side of rachis, linear, irregularly fascicled, 18–35 X 1.2—2.4 cm. Male inflorescence erect, to 50 cm, branched to 1 order, not exceeding prophyll; prophyll tubular at base, club shaped, reddish brown, lacerate; rachillae numerous, 4–16 cm. Female inflorescence to 25 cm (to 90 cm in fruiting stage); branched to 2 or 3 orders; rachillae to 50–60, 8–34 cm. Fruit well separated on rachillae, orange-yellow, obovoid, 1.5–2.5 X 1.2 cm, calyx and corolla persistent in fruit. Seeds 1.5–2 cm X 7–10 mm. (ref. A Monograph of Phoenix L.: Borrow, 1998).
Distribution: Nepal, W. Himalaya, E Himalaya, Assam-Burma & S. Asia (Bangladesh, India, Pakistan).
Altitudinal range: 100–1600 m
Flowering: January–April Fruiting: October–December
Ecology: Open grassy areas subject to seasonal flooding and in disturbed areas.