Phoenix acaulis

Buch.-Ham ex Roxb.

Stemless Date palm

ArecaceaeFruitRootsShootsPotential hazards — see below

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What to Eat

Edible parts: Fruit, Palm heart, Starch, Roots

The bright red, oval fruit with sweet edible flesh are eaten fresh or used to make curry. The tender fruit stalks, palm heart, and peeled underground leaf stalks (rootstock) are cooked and eaten. An edible starch can also be extracted from the stem.

Known Hazards

Where to Find It

A tropical plant. It grows in tropical and subtropical places. It usually grows on poor stony soils. It grows between 400-1600 m altitude. In Townsville palmetum.

Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, NW India, SE Asia, Sikkim, Thailand,

Countries: United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Brunei, Bhutan, China, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mongolia, Maldives, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Philippines, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen

How to Identify

A solitary palm. It has a short swollen trunk. This is mostly underground. It is densely covered with the leaf stalk bases. The fronds arch over. They have leaflets along the stalk. The fronds are 1-2 m long. The leaflets are dark green and 30-45 cm long. They are grouped in small bundles. The flowering stalk is 30-60 cm long and often trails on the ground. The fruit are bright red and oval. They have sweet edible flesh.

How to Grow

The seed are oval and grooved. They germinate soon after planting.

Propagation: Seed - pre-soak for 24 hours prior to sowing. The seed germinates best at a temperature of 21 - 27°c. Division of offsets.

Medicinal Uses

None mentioned.

Wikipedia

Source ↗

Phoenix acaulis (acaulis, Latin, trunkless) the dwarf date palm or stemless date palm, is a species of flowering plant in the palm family, native to northern India, Bhutan and Nepal. Found at altitudes from 350 to 1,500 m (1,150 to 4,920 ft), Phoenix acaulis grows in scrubland, savannas and in pine forests. Trunks in this species remain underground or, at most, grow to a few inches in height. Leaves are 11.5 m (4 ft 11 in) long, gray-green, with 25 cm (9.8 in), pinnately arranged leaflets on short, armed petioles.

Production

Seedling growth is slow. In Sikkim fruit are available March to May.

Notes

There are 13-17 Phoenix species.

Names & Synonyms

Adavi eetha, Bana khajuri, Betgera, Bhui shindi, Bhuin kojiri, Boichind, Chindi, Dagsha, Jangli khajur, Khajur, Khudi khejur, Kojiri, Metta heendi, Palo, Schap, Shevra, Shilind, Takul, Thakal, Thakul, Yita

Phoenix acaulis var. melanocarpa Griff.

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