| Araceae |
|---|
Phoenix canariensis HORT. EX CHABAUD |
Phoenix L. |
| P. canariensis Hort. ex Chabaud in Provence Agric. Hort. 111. (Toulon) 19:293, f. 66-68 (1882). Syn: P. macrocarpa Hort. ex Sauvaigo in Rev. Hort. 66:495 (1894) nom. nud.;P. erecta Hort. ex Sauvaigo, loc. cit. (1894) nom. nud. Ic: Polunin, Fls. Europe t. 176 no. 1718 (1969); Bramwell & Bramwell, Wild Fls. Canary Is. t. 320, 321 (1974). Tree 8-12(-20) m. Stem single, unbranched, stout, with persistent fibrous leaf bases. Leaves erect-arcuate, to 7 m, green, not glaucous; median segments 40-50 cm, less rigid than in P. dactylifera. Flowering spikes not ridged, glabrous. Staminate flowers creamy-white; sepals 3-fid at apex; petals ovate. Pistillate flowers with petals slightly longer than sepals, yellow. Fruit ovoid, smooth, 1.5-2.3 cm, dark purplish-brown, succulent, insipid or slightly sweet. Seed 8-12 mm broad. Fl. 4-5. Planted as a street tree and in parks. Described from material at Hyeres (S. France) which had been grown from seed sent from Orotava (Tenerife) by M. Wilpret. W. & S. Turkey. A2(E/A) Istanbul: Istanbul, A. Baytop obs. BI Izmir: Izmir, Kültürpark, A. Baytop obs. C3 Antalya: Antalya, D. obs. C4 Antalya: Alanya, Vural obs. Endemic to Canary Is. Known to have existed more than 400 years ago, long before the arrival of the Spanish. Introduced, possibly naturalised in Mediterranean region. |