Arecaceae
Coconut Palm Cocos nucifera
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Liliopsida Order: Arecales Family: Arecaceae Schultz-Schultzenstein
Genera
Many; see list of Arecaceae genera

Arecaceae or Palmae (also known by the name Palmaceae, which is taxonomically invalid^[1]), the palm family, is a family of flowering plants belonging to the monocot order, Arecales. Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. The flowering plants or angiosperms ( Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta) are the most widespread group Liliopsida is a Botanical name for the class containing the family Liliaceae (or Lily Family Arecales is an order of Flowering plants The order has been widely recognised only for the past few decades until then the accepted name for the order including This is a list of all the genera in the botanical family Arecaceae, the Palm tree family arranged by tribes within the family The flowering plants or angiosperms ( Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta) are the most widespread group Monocotyledons or monocots are one of two major groups of Flowering plants (angiosperms that are traditionally recognised the other being Dicotyledons There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and possibly warm temperate climates. A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. The Tropics are centered on the Equator and limited in Latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately 23°26' (23 The subtropics are the zones of the Earth immediately north and south of the tropic zone which is bounded by the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Most palms are distinguished by their large, compound, evergreen leaves arranged at the top of an unbranched stem. In Botany, an Evergreen plant is a plant having leaves all year round In Botany, a leaf is an above-ground Plant organ specialized for Photosynthesis. However, many palms are exceptions to this statement, and palms in fact exhibit an enormous diversity in physical characteristics. As well as being morphologically diverse, palms also inhabit nearly every type of habitat within their range, from rainforests to deserts. A habitat (which is Latin for "it inhabits" is an Ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular Species. Rainforests are Forests characterized by high Rainfall with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 1750–2000 mm (68-78 inches A desert is a Landscape or region that receives very little precipitation.

Palms are one of the most well-known and extensively cultivated plant families. They have had an important role to humans throughout much of history. Many common products and foods are derived from palms, and palms are also widely used in landscaping for their exotic appearance making them one of the most economically important plants. In many historical cultures, palms were symbols for such ideas as victory, peace, and fertility. A palm branch (or palm Frond or palm stem) usually refers to the leaves of the Arecaceae (sometimes known by the names Palmae Today, palms remain a popular symbol for the tropics and vacations. Lists of holidays The words holiday or vacation have related meanings in different English-speaking countries and continents but will usually refer to one of ^[2]

Morphology

This grove of the native species Washingtonia filifera in Palm Canyon, California is growing alongside a stream running through the desert. Washingtonia filifera ( filifera - Latin "thread-bearing" Common names Desert Fan Palm, American Cotton palm, Arizona California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean.

Whether shrubs, trees or vines palms are limited to two methods of growth. The common representation is that of a solitary shoot ending in a crown of leaves. This monopodial behavior may be exhibited in prostrate, trunkless and trunk forming members. Vascular plants with monopodial growth habits grow upward from a single point Some of the common palm trees restricted to solitary growth include Washingtonia and Roystonea. Washingtonia is a Genus of palms, native to the southwestern United States (in southern California, southwest Arizona Roystonea ( Royal Palm) is a Genus of 10 Species of Monoecious palms, native to tropical regions of Florida Palms may instead grow in sparse to dense clusters. The trunk will develop an axillary bud at a leaf node, usually near the base, from which a new shoot emerges. The new shoot, in turn, produces an axillary bud and a clustering habit results. Exclusively sympodial genera include many of the rattans, Guihaia, and Rhapis. Orchids with sympodial growth have a specialized lateral growth pattern in which the terminal Bud dies Rattan (from the Malay rotan) is the name for the roughly six hundred Species of palms in the tribe Calameae, native to tropical Guihaia is a genus of two Species of palms found in China and Vietnam. Rhapis is a Genus of about 10 species of small palms native to southeastern Asia from southern Japan and southern China Several palm genera have both solitary and clustering members. Occasionally, a plant is very often clustering with the occasional solitary member or the converse. These aberrations suggest the habit operates on a single gene. ^[3]

They have large evergreen leaves that are either palmately ('fan-leaved') or pinnately ('feather-leaved') compound and spirally arranged at the top of the stem. In Botany, a leaf is an above-ground Plant organ specialized for Photosynthesis. The leaves have a tubular sheath at the base that usually splits open on one side at maturity ^[4]. The inflorescence is a panicle or spike surrounded by one or more bracts or spathes that become woody at maturity. An inflorescence is a group or cluster of Flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main Branch or a complicated arrangement of branches A panicle is a compound Raceme, a loose much-branched indeterminate Inflorescence with pedicellate Flowers (and Fruit A raceme is a type of Inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate Flowers &mdash flowers having short In Botany, a bract is a modified or specialized Leaf. Bracts are ordinarily associated with reproductive structures (subtending Flowers Inflorescence In Botany, a spadix (pl spadices) is a type of spike: an Inflorescence with small Flowers crowded on a thickened fleshy axis The flowers are generally small and white, radially symmetric, and can be either uni- or bisexual. A flower, also known as a bloom or Blossom, is the reproductive structure found in Flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also The sepals and petals usually number three each and may be distinct or joined at the base. The stamens generally number six, with filaments that may be separate, attached to each other, or attached to the pistil at the base. The fruit is usually a single-seeded drupe ^[5], but some genera (e. The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and the term is not synonymous in Food preparation and Biology. A seed (in some plants referred to as a kernel) is a small embryonic Plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat usually with some stored In Botany, a drupe is a Fruit in which an outer fleshy part ( Exocarp, or skin and Mesocarp, or flesh surrounds a shell (the pit g. Salacca) may contain two or more seeds in each fruit. Salacca is a genus of 20 species of palms native to tropical southeastern Asia.

Fruits of Palmyra at Guntur, India

Arecaceae is notable for having the individual trees with the largest seed, largest leaf, largest inflorescence, as well as the tallest individual monocot. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Guntur ( Telugu: గుంటూరు Urdu: گنٹور, Hindi: गुंटूर India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The coco de mer (Lodoicea maldivica) has the largest seeds of any plant, 40-50 centimeters in diameter and weighing 15-30 kilograms each. " Sea coconut " redirects here Sea coconut may also refer to the fruit of the Asian palmyra palm The coco de mer ( Lodoicea maldivica Raffia palms (Raphia spp. The Raffia palms ( Raphia) are a Genus of twenty species of palms native to tropical regions of Africa, Madagascar, with one species ), with leaves up to 25 meters long and 3 meters wide, have the largest leaves of any plant. The Corypha species have the largest inflorescence of any plant, up to 7. Corypha ( Gebang Palm, Buri Palm or Talipot Palm) is a genus of six or seven species (the Kew palm checklist does not recognise C 5 meters tall and containing millions of small flowers. Ceroxylon quindiuense, Colombia's national tree, is the tallest monocot in the world, reaching heights of 60 meters ^[6]. Ceroxylon quindiuense ( Palma de cera del quindio, ( Wax palm tree) is a palm native to the Andean high altitude valley of Cocora Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America.

Range and habitat

Coconut palm trees in Mumbai, India

The vast majority of palms exist in the tropics. Mumbai ( Marathi:,, IPA: formerly Bombay, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the financial India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The Tropics are centered on the Equator and limited in Latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately 23°26' (23 Palms are abundant throughout the tropical regions around the world, and are present in almost every type of habitat in the tropics. Diversity is highest in wet, lowland tropical forests, especially in ecological "hotspots" such as Madagascar, which has more endemic palms than the entire continental Africa. Madagascar, or Republic of Madagascar (older name Malagasy Republic) is an Island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern Colombia may have the highest number of palm species in one country. Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. ^[7]

It is estimated that only 130 palm species grow naturally beyond the tropics, most of which grow in the subtropics. The subtropics are the zones of the Earth immediately north and south of the tropic zone which is bounded by the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of The northernmost native palm is Chamaerops humilis, which reaches 44°N latitude in southern France, where the local Mediterranean climate is milder than other places as far north. Chamaerops is a genus of Flowering plants in the family Arecaceae (palm family comprising a single species Chamaerops humilis This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. A Mediterranean climate is one that resembles the Climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, which includes over half of the area with this climate type world-wide The southernmost palm is the Rhopalostylis sapida, which reaches 44°S on the Chatham Islands where an oceanic climate has a similar warming effect ^[8]. Nikau ( Rhopalostylis sapida) is a palm tree endemic to New Zealand. The Archipelago of the Chatham Islands ( Rekohu in the Moriori language and Wharekauri in the Māori language) is a territory An oceanic climate (also called marine west coast climate and maritime climate) is the Climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes Palms have been known to grow as far north as Ireland. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world

Palms inhabit a variety of habitats. Over two-thirds of palms live in tropical forests, where some species grow tall enough to form part of the canopy and other shorter palms adapted to shade form part of the understory ^[9]. Understory (or understorey) is the term for the area of a Forest which grows in the shade of the emergent or forest canopy. Some species form pure stands in areas with poor drainage or regular flooding, including Raphia hookeri which is common in coastal freshwater swamps in West Africa. Other palms live in tropical mountain habitats above 1000 meters, such as those in the genus Ceroxylon native to the Andes. UserPolbot. --> Ceroxylon is a genus of Flowering plant in the Arecaceae family native to the Andes The Andes form the world's longest exposed Mountain range. They lie as a continuous chain of highland along the western coast of South America. Palms may also live in grasslands and scrublands, usually associated with a water source, and in desert oases such as the Date Palm. A desert is a Landscape or region that receives very little precipitation. In Geography, an oasis (plural oases) or Cienega ( Southwestern United States) is an isolated area of vegetation in a Desert, typically The Date Palm ( Phoenix dactylifera) is a palm in the genus Phoenix, extensively cultivated for its edible Fruit. A few palms are adapted to extremely basic lime soils, while others are similarly adapted to very acidic serpentine soils ^[8]. In Chemistry, a base is most commonly thought of as an aqueous substance that can accept Protons This refers to the Brønsted-Lowry theory of acids and Lime is a general term for various naturally occurring Minerals and materials derived from them in which Carbonates Oxides and Hydroxides of In Computer science, ACID ( Atomicity Consistency Isolation Durability) is a set of properties that guarantee that Database transactions are The serpentine group describes a group of common rock-forming hydrous Magnesium Iron phyllosilicate (()3 Minerals they

Taxonomy

A coconut palm.

A coconut palm tree in Curaçao. Curaçao (ˈkjuːrəsaʊ in English Dutch: Curaçao, Papiamento: Kòrsou) is an Island in the southern Caribbean Sea,

Palms are a monophyletic group of plants, meaning that the group consists of a common ancestor and all its descendants ^[9]. A clade is a taxonomic group comprising a single Common ancestor and all the descendants of that ancestor Extensive taxonomic research on palms began with botanist H. E. Moore, who organized palms into fifteen major groups based mostly on general morphological characteristics. The following classification, proposed by N. W. Uhl and J. Dransfield in 1987, is a revision of Moore's classification that organizes palms into six subfamilies ^[10]. A few general traits of each subfamily are listed.

Coryphoideae is the most diverse subfamily and is a paraphyletic group, meaning that all members of the group share a common ancestor but the group does not include all the ancestor's descendants. In Phylogenetics, a group of organisms is said to be paraphyletic if the group contains its most recent common ancestor but does not contain all Most palms in this subfamily have palmately lobed leaves and solitary flowers with three, sometimes four carpels. A gynoecium (from Ancient Greek gyne, "woman" is the Female reproductive part of a Flower. The fruit normally develops from only one carpel. Subfamily Calamoideae includes the climbing palms such as rattans. The leaves are usually pinnate; derived characters (synapomorphies) include spines on various organs, organs specialized for climbing, an extension of the main stem of the leaf bearing reflexed spines, and overlapping scales covering the fruit and ovary. In Evolutionary biology, a synapomorphy is a derived Character state shared by two or more terminal groups ( taxa included in a Cladistic analysis Subfamily Nypoideae contains only one genus and one species, Nypa fruticans, which has large pinnate leaves. The fruit is unusual in that it floats, and the stem is dichotomously branched, also unusual in palms. Subfamily Ceroxyloideae has small to medium-sized flowers that spirally arranged, with a gynoecium of three joined carpels. A gynoecium (from Ancient Greek gyne, "woman" is the Female reproductive part of a Flower. Arecoideae is the largest subfamily with six diverse tribes containing over 100 genera. All tribes have pinnate or bipinnate leaves and flowers arranged in groups of three, with a central pistillate and two staminate flowers. Phytelephantoideae is a monoecious subfamily. Plant sexuality covers the wide variety of Sexual reproduction systems found across the Plant kingdom Members of this group have distinct monopodial flower clusters. Vascular plants with monopodial growth habits grow upward from a single point Other distinct features include a gynoecium with five to ten joined carpels, and flowers with more than three parts per whorl. Fruits are multiseeded and have multiple parts ^[11].

Currently, few extensive phylogenetic studies of Arecaceae exist. In 1997, Baker et al. explored subfamily and tribe relationships using chloroplast DNA from 60 genera from all subfamilies and tribes. Deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA) is a Nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known The results strongly showed that Calamoideae is monophyletic, and that Ceroxyloideae and Coryphoideae are paraphyletic. A clade is a taxonomic group comprising a single Common ancestor and all the descendants of that ancestor In Phylogenetics, a group of organisms is said to be paraphyletic if the group contains its most recent common ancestor but does not contain all The relationships of Arecoideae are uncertain but it is possibly related to Ceroxyloideae and Phytelephantoideae. However, hybridization has been observed among Orbignya and Phoenix species, and using chloroplast DNA in cladistic studies may produce inaccurate results due to maternal inheritance of the chloroplast DNA. Chemical and molecular data from non-organelle DNA, for example, could be more effective for studying palm phylogeny ^[11].

Selected genera

The orange fruit on a palm tree.

• Areca – Betel palm
• Bactris – Pupunha
• Bismarckia - Bismark palm
• Borassus – Palmyra palm, Sugar palm, Toddy palm
• Calamus – Rattan palm
• Cocos – Coconut
• Copernicia – Carnauba wax palm
• Corypha - Gebang palm, Buri palm or Talipot palm
• Elaeis – Oil palm
• Euterpe – Cabbage Heart palm, Açaí palm
• Hyphaene (including the doum palm)
• Jubaea – Chilean Wine palm, Coquito palm
• Latania – Latan palm
• Mauritia - Moriche palm
• Metroxylon – Sago palm
• Phoenix – Date palm
• Raphia – Raffia palm
• Roystonea – Royal palm
• Sabal – Palmettos
• Salacca – Salak
• Syagrus - Queen palm
• Trachycarpus – Windmill palm, Kumaon palm
• Washingtonia - Fan palm

See list of Arecaceae genera arranged by taxonomic groups or by alphabetical order for a complete listing of genera. Areca is a Genus of about 50 species of single-stemmed palms in the family Arecaceae, found in humid Tropical forests Areca catechu is the areca palm or areca nut palm, ( Malay: Pinang) a species of palm which grows in much of the Bactris is a Genus of about 240 Species in the palm family Arecaceae, native to Central and South America, and the Bactris gasipaes is a species of palm native to the Tropical forests of the South and Central America. Bismarckia is a Monotypic Genus of Flowering plant in the palm family endemic to western and northern Madagascar where Borassus ( Palmyra Palm) is a genus of six species of fan palms, native to tropical regions of Africa, Asia and New The Coconut Palm ( Cocos nucifera) is a member of the Family Arecaceae (palm family Copernicia is a Genus of 24 species of palms, native to South America and the Caribbean. Carnauba is a Wax derived from the leaves of the Carnauba palm ( Copernicia prunifera) a plant native to and grown only in the northeastern Brazilian Corypha ( Gebang Palm, Buri Palm or Talipot Palm) is a genus of six or seven species (the Kew palm checklist does not recognise C The oil palms ( Elaeis) comprise two species of the Arecaceae, or palm family The açaí palm ( is a member of the genus Euterpe, which contains 7 species of palms native to tropical Central and South America, from Hyphaene is a genus of eight species of palms which includes the Doum palm ( H Hyphaene thebaica (Common name gingerbread tree or thebaica, الدوم in Arabic) is a type of Palm tree with edible oval Jubaea chilensis ( Chilean Wine Palm) is the sole living species in the genus Jubaea in the palm family Arecaceae. UserPolbot. --> Latania is a genus of Flowering plant in the Arecaceae family Mauritia is a genus of Fan palms which is native to northern South America. Metroxylon is a Genus of Monoecious Flowering plants in the Arecaceae (palm family consisting of seven Species. Phoenix is a Genus of 13 Species of palms, native from the Canary Islands east across northern and central Africa, The Date Palm ( Phoenix dactylifera) is a palm in the genus Phoenix, extensively cultivated for its edible Fruit. The Raffia palms ( Raphia) are a Genus of twenty species of palms native to tropical regions of Africa, Madagascar, with one species Roystonea ( Royal Palm) is a Genus of 10 Species of Monoecious palms, native to tropical regions of Florida Sabal is a genus of New World palms many of the species being known as Palmetto. Salacca is a genus of 20 species of palms native to tropical southeastern Asia. Salak ( Salacca zalacca, syn S edulis, Calamus zalacca) is a species of Palm tree (family Arecaceae) native to Syagrus is a Genus of 30 to 42 Species of Arecaceae (palms native to South America, with one species endemic to the Lesser Trachycarpus is a Genus of eight species of palms native to Asia, from the Himalaya east to eastern China. Trachycarpus fortunei ( Chusan Palm, Windmill Palm or Chinese Windmill Palm; syn Trachycarpus takil ( Kumaon Palm) is a fan palm native to the foothills of the Himalaya in Kumaon in northwestern India Washingtonia is a Genus of palms, native to the southwestern United States (in southern California, southwest Arizona This is a list of all the genera in the botanical family Arecaceae, the Palm tree family arranged by tribes within the family List of Arecaceae or Palmae genera arranged alphabetically Source Royal Botanic Gardens Kew

Evolution

A cross-section of a palm branch

Arecaceae is the first modern family of monocots that is clearly represented in the fossil record. Palms first appear in the fossil record around 80 million years ago, during the late Cretaceous Period. The Cretaceous (kriːˈteɪʃəs, usually abbreviated 'K' for its German translation "Kreide" is a geologic period and system, reaching from the end of The first modern species, such as Nypa fruticans and Acrocomia aculeata, appeared 69-70 million years ago, confirmed by fossil Nypa pollen dated to 70 million years ago. Nypa fruticans, known as the Attap Palm ( Singapore) Nipa Palm ( Philippines) and Mangrove Palm or Nipah palm Acrocomia aculeata, the sole species in the genus Acrocomia, is a species of palm native to tropical regions of the Americas, Palms appear to have undergone an early period of adaptive radiation. An adaptive radiation is a rapid Evolutionary radiation characterized by an increase in the morphological and ecological diversity of a single rapidly diversifying lineage By 60 million years ago, many of the modern, specialized genera of palms appeared and became widespread and common, much more widespread than their range today. Because palms separated from the monocots earlier than other families, they developed more intrafamilial specialization and diversity. Monocotyledons or monocots are one of two major groups of Flowering plants (angiosperms that are traditionally recognised the other being Dicotyledons By tracing back these diverse characteristics of palms to the basic structures of monocots, palms may be valuable in studying monocot evolution. ^[12]

Conservation

Pritchardia affinis, a critically endangered species endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. UserPolbot. --> Pritchardia affinis is a species of Flowering plant in the Arecaceae family The Hawaiian Islands, once known as the Sandwich Islands, form an Archipelago of 19 Islands and Atolls numerous smaller

Like many other plants, palms have been threatened by human intervention and exploitation. The greatest risk to palms is destruction of habitat, especially in the tropical forests, due to urbanization, wood-chipping, mining, and conversion to farmland. Urbanizationn (also spelled urbanisation) is the physical growth of Urban areas into rural or natural land as a result of population in-migration to an existing Palms rarely reproduce after such great changes in the habitat, and palms with a small habitat range are most vulnerable to them. The harvesting of heart of palm, a delicacy in salads, also poses a threat because it is derived from the inner core of the tree and thus harvesting kills the tree. Heart of palm, also called palm heart, palmito, chonta or swamp cabbage, is a Vegetable harvested from the inner core and growing The use of rattan palms in furniture has caused a major population decrease in these species that has negatively affected local and international markets as well as biodiversity in the area. ^[13] The sale of seeds to nurseries and collectors is another threat, as the seeds of popular palms are sometimes harvested directly from the wild. At least 100 palm species are currently endangered, and nine species have reportedly recently become extinct. ^[9]

However, several factors make palm conservation more difficult. Palms live in almost every type of habitat and have tremendous morphological diversity. Most palm seeds lose viability quickly, and they cannot be preserved in low temperatures because the cold kills the embryo. Using botanical gardens for conservation also presents problems, since they can only house a few plants of any species or truly imitate the natural setting. ^[14] There is also the risk of cross-pollination,, which leads to hybrid species.

The Palm Specialist Group of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) began in 1984 and has performed a series of three studies in order to find basic information on the status of palms in the wild, utilization of wild palms, and palms under cultivation. Two projects on palm conservation and utilization supported by the World Wildlife Fund took place from 1985-1990 and 1986-1991, in the American tropics and southeast Asia respectively. Both studies produced a large amount of new data and publications on palms. Preparation of a global action plan for palm conservation began in 1991, supported by the IUCN, and was published in 1996 ^[14].

The rarest palm known is the Hyophorbe amaricaulis. Hyophorbe amaricaulis (synonym Mascarena revaughanii L H Bailey is a hurricane palm of the order Arecales, Family Arecaceae The only living individual that remains is at the Botanic Gardens of Curepipe in Mauritius. Mauritius (pronounced məˈrɪʃəs L’île Maurice /il mɔ'ʁis/ Mauritian Creole: Maurice) officially the Republic of Mauritius, République

Uses and cultivation

Fruit of the Date Palm Phoenix dactylifera

Human use of palms is as old or older than human civilization itself, starting with the cultivation of the Date Palm by Mesopotamians and other Middle Eastern peoples 5000 years or more ago. The Date Palm ( Phoenix dactylifera) is a palm in the genus Phoenix, extensively cultivated for its edible Fruit. Mesopotamia (from the Greek meaning "land between the rivers" is an area geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers largely corresponding ^[15] Date wood, pits for storing dates, and other remains of the Date Palm have been found in Mesopotamian sites. ^[16] The Date Palm had a tremendous effect on the history of the Middle East. W. H. Barreveld wrote:

"One could go as far as to say that, had the date palm not existed, the expansion of the human race into the hot and barren parts of the "old" world would have been much more restricted. The date palm not only provided a concentrated energy food, which could be easily stored and carried along on long journeys across the deserts, it also created a more amenable habitat for the people to live in by providing shade and protection from the desert winds (Fig. 1). In addition, the date palm also yielded a variety of products for use in agricultural production and for domestic utensils, and practically all parts of the palm had a useful purpose. "^[15]

An indication of the importance of Palms is that they are mentioned more than 30 times in the Bible^[17], and at least 22 times in the Quran. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran ^[18]

Arecaceae has great economic importance including coconut products, oils, dates, ivory nuts, carnauba wax, rattan cane, and raffia.

The type member of Arecaceae is the Areca palm, the fruit of which, the betel nut, is chewed with the betel leaf for intoxicating effects. Areca is a Genus of about 50 species of single-stemmed palms in the family Arecaceae, found in humid Tropical forests The Betel ( Piper betle) is the leaf of a vine belonging to the Piperaceae family which includes pepper and Kava) Also belonging to the family of the Arecaceae are the Date Palm, harvested for its edible fruit; Rattans, whose stems are used extensively in furniture and baskets; and the Coconut. Rattan (from the Malay rotan) is the name for the roughly six hundred Species of palms in the tribe Calameae, native to tropical Furniture is the Mass noun for the movable objects which may support the human body (seating furniture and beds, provide storage or hold objects on horizontal A basket is a container which is traditionally constructed from stiff fibres often made of Willow. The Coconut Palm ( Cocos nucifera) is a member of the Family Arecaceae (palm family Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil produced by the oil palms in the genus Elaeis. Palm oil is an edible plant oil derived from the Fruit of the Arecaceae Elaeis Oil palm. The oil palms ( Elaeis) comprise two species of the Arecaceae, or palm family The oil palms ( Elaeis) comprise two species of the Arecaceae, or palm family Several species are harvested for heart of palm, a vegetable eaten in salads. Heart of palm, also called palm heart, palmito, chonta or swamp cabbage, is a Vegetable harvested from the inner core and growing Palm sap is sometimes fermented to produce palm wine or toddy, an alcoholic beverage common in parts of Africa, India, and the Philippines ^[19]. Fermentation in Food processing typically refers to the conversion of Sugar to Alcohol using Yeast under Anaerobic conditions Palm Wine also called Palm Toddy or simply Toddy is an Alcoholic beverage created from the Sap of various species of Palm tree such India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP The Palm Sunday festival uses palm leaves, usually from the Date Palm, hence the name. Palm Sunday is a Christian Moveable feast which always falls on the Sunday before Easter. A festival is an event usually and ordinarily staged by a local community which centers on some unique aspect of that community Dragon's blood, a red resin used traditionally in medicine, varnish, and dyes, may be obtained from the fruit of Daemonorops species. Dragon's blood is a bright red Resin that is obtained from different species of four distinct plant genera Croton, Dracaena, Medicine is the art and science of healing It encompasses a range of Health care practices evolved to maintain and restore Human Health by the Varnish is a transparent, hard protective finish or film primarily used in Wood finishing but also for other materials A dye can generally be described as a Colored substance that has an affinity to the substrate to which it is being applied Daemonorops is a genus of Rattan palms in the family Arecaceae. Coir is a coarse water-resistant fiber extracted from the outer shell of coconuts, used in doormats, brushes, mattresses, and ropes. Coir (from Malayalam kayar, cord is a coarse fibre extracted from the fibrous outer shell of a Coconut. The Coconut Palm ( Cocos nucifera) is a member of the Family Arecaceae (palm family Some indigenous groups living in palm-rich areas use palms to make many of their necessary items and food. Sago, for example, a starch made from the pith of the trunk of the Sago Palm Metroxylon sagu, is a major staple food for lowland peoples of New Guinea and the Moluccas. Sago is a Starch extracted from the Pith inside stems of the sago palm Metroxylon sagu Metroxylon sagu is a species of palm in the genus Metroxylon, native to tropical southeastern Asia in Indonesia ( A staple food is a Food that forms the basis of a Traditional diet. New Guinea, located just north of Australia, is the world's second largest island, having become separated from the Australian mainland when the area now known The Maluku Islands (also known as the Moluccas, Moluccan Islands, the Spice Islands or simply Maluku) are an Archipelago Palm leaves are also valuable to some peoples as a material for thatching or clothing. ^[20]

Washingtonia robusta trees line Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica, California. Washingtonia robusta ( Mexican Fan Palm or Mexican Washingtonia) is a palm native to northwestern Mexico.

Today, palms are valuable as ornamental plants and are often grown along streets in tropical and subtropical cities, and also along the Mediterranean coast in Europe. Ornamental plants are typically grown in the flower Garden or as House plants Most commonly they are grown for the display of their Flowers Other common Farther north, palms are a common feature in botanical gardens or as indoor plants. Botanical gardens grow a wide variety of Plants primarily to categorize and document for scientific purposes Few palms tolerate severe cold, however, and the majority of the species are tropical or subtropical. The three most cold-tolerant species are Trachycarpus fortunei, native to eastern Asia, and Rhapidophyllum hystrix and Sabal minor, both native to the southeastern United States ^[21]. Trachycarpus fortunei ( Chusan Palm, Windmill Palm or Chinese Windmill Palm; syn Rhapidophyllum hystrix ( Needle Palm) is a palm, the sole member of the genus Rhapidophyllum. The Dwarf Palmetto ( Sabal minor) is one of about 14 species of palmetto palm (Arecaceae genus Sabal) The United States of America —commonly referred to as the For more details, see hardy palms. Hardy palms are any of the species of palm (Arecaceae that are able to withstand colder temperatures and thrive in places not typically considered in the natural range for palms

The southeastern state of South Carolina is nicknamed the Palmetto State after the Cabbage Palmetto, logs from which were used to build the fort at Fort Moultrie. South Carolina ( is a state in the southern region ( Deep South) of the United States of America. Sabal palmetto, also known as Cabbage Palm, Palmetto, Cabbage Palmetto, Palmetto Palm, and Sabal Palm, is one of 15 Fort Moultrie is the name of a series of forts on Sullivan's Island South Carolina, built During the American Revolutionary War they were invaluable to those defending the fort, because their spongy wood absorbed or deflected the British cannonballs. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" ^[22] Some palms can be grown as far north as Maryland, Arkansas, and even up along the Pacific coast to Oregon, Washington and British Columbia, where ocean winds have a warming effect. Arkansas ( is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Washington ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C There have even been known species of transplanted palms that have survived as far north as southern New Jersey^[23]. New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. The Chinese Trachycarpus fortunei is being grown experimentally on the Faroe Islands at 62°N, with young plants doing well so far. Trachycarpus fortunei ( Chusan Palm, Windmill Palm or Chinese Windmill Palm; syn The Faroe Islands or Faeroe Islands or simply Faroe(s or Faeroes (Føroyar meaning " Sheep Islands" Færøerne Old Norse ^[24]

Symbolism

Main article: Palm branch (symbol)

The palm branch was a symbol of triumph and victory in pre-Christian times. A palm branch (or palm Frond or palm stem) usually refers to the leaves of the Arecaceae (sometimes known by the names Palmae The Romans rewarded champions of the games and celebrated military successes with palm branches. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Early Christians used the palm branch to symbolize the victory of the faithful over enemies of the soul, as in the Palm Sunday festival celebrating the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Palm Sunday is a Christian Moveable feast which always falls on the Sunday before Easter. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the In Judaism, the palm represents peace and plenty, and is one of the Four Species of Sukkot; the palm may also symbolize the Tree of life in Kabbalah. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Sukkot ( also known as Succoth, Sukkos, Feast of Booths or Feast of Tabernacles) is a Biblical Pilgrimage A tree of life is a mystical concept a Metaphor for common descent or a Motif in various world theologies and philosophies. Kabbalah (קַבָּלָה lit "receiving" is a discipline and school of thought discussing the mystical aspect of Judaism. Today, the palm, especially the Coconut, remains a symbol of the stereotypical tropical island paradise ^[9]. Paradise is a word of Persian origin ( Persian: پردیس Pardìs) that is generally identified with the Garden of Eden or with Heaven. Palms appear on the flags and seals of several places where they are native, including those of Haiti, Guam, Florida and South Carolina. The coat of arms of Haiti was first introduced in 1807, and has appeared in its current form since 1986. The seal of Guam appears in the middle of the Flag of Guam. It depicts Agana Bay near Hagåtña, a local Proa and a The Great Seal of the State of Florida is used to represent the Government of the State of Florida, and for various official purposes such as to seal official documents The Flag of South Carolina is believed to have been originally designed in 1775 for use by South Carolinian troops during the American Revolutionary

See also

• Travellers palm – a palm-like tree belonging to order Zingiberales
• Sago palm – a palm-like cycad (a gymnosperm)
• Toddy tapping - palm wine making process
• Postelsia - called the "sea palm" (a brown algae)
• Hardy palms - palms able to withstand colder temperatures

References

• C. H. Schultz-Schultzenstein (1832). Natürliches System des Pflanzenreichs. . . , 317. Berlin, Germany.
• Dransfield J. , Uhl N. W. , Asmussen C. B. , Baker W. J. , Harley M. M. , Lewis C. E. (2005). "A new phylogenetic classification of the palm family, Arecaceae". Kew Bulletin 60: 559–569. [latest Arecaceae or Palmae classification]

External links

• Palm Trees, Small Palms, Cycads, Bromeliads & Tropical Plants Site with 1000's of large, high quality photos of palms and associated flora. Includes information on habitat and cultivation.
• Palmpedia A wiki based site dedicated to high quality images and information on palm trees.
• Guide to Palms A collection of palm images, scientific data, and horticultural information hosted by Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami.
• Kew Botanic Garden's Palm Genera list A list of the currently acknowledged genera by Kew Royal Botanic Gardens in London, England.
• PACSOA Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia palm species listing with images.
• Palm & Cycad Societies of Florida, Inc. (PACSOF), which includes pages on Arecaceae taxonomy and a photo index.
• Guide to Palms grown in the UK
• Scanpalm - Everything about palms in Scandinavia