Palmyra palm
Palmyra palm, Toddy palm
Scientific name: Borassus flabellifer
Local/ Bangla name: ‘Tal’
Taxonomic position According to Cronquist (1981)
Kingdom | : Plantae | |
Division | : Magnoliophyta | |
Class | : Liliopsida | |
Subclass | : Arecidae | |
Order | : Arecales | |
Family | : Arecaceae | |
Genus | : Borussus | |
Species | : B. flabellifer |
Botanical Description of Palmyra Palm
Habit: A solitary stout erect, unbranched palm up to 30 m long
Root: Fibrous root system
Leaf: Fan shaped, coriaceous, segments 60-80 cm, extension of the petiole protrudes as the rib well into the center of the blade
Flower: Male and female flowers borne into separate tree i.e. dioecious
Inflorescence: Female inflorescence a sparingly branched spadix having spathe. Male inflorescence a simple branched spadix.
Flower: Female flowers globose, green, carpel 3-4, stigma 3, sessile. Male flowers small, stamen 6, anthers sub-sessile.
Fruit: Drupe
Chromosome number: 2n=36
Economic Importance: Juice obtained from male inflorescence provide a pleasant drink. Young fruits supply jelly-like contents and ripe fruits are eaten as raw.