Phoenix acaulis

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Phoenix (FEH-niks)
acaulis (ah-KOW-liss)
Sp 122 1.jpg
Palo Alto, CA. Jack Tomsky Garden. Photo by Jack Tomsky.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Phoenix (FEH-niks)
Species:
acaulis (ah-KOW-liss)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Asia
Asia.gif
Morphology
Habit: Solitary & acaulescent.
Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Dwarf Date Palm, Stemless Date Palm, INDIA. Khajuzi, Chota khajur (Uttar Pradesh, Siwalik hills), (S. Biswas, pers. comm.); khajuri, pind khajur, jangly khajur (Hindi), schap (Lepcha), chindi, hindi, jhari, sindi, juno (Kurku), pinn khajur, Boichand, Yita.

Habitat and Distribution

Assam, China Southeast, India, Nepal, West Himalaya.
Corupá - State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Photo by Gilio Giacomozzi.
Sub-Himalayan belt of northern India and Nepal. Griffith (1845) and Kurz (1877) recorded the species in Myanmar, but I have seen no specimens to support this. Griffith (1845) noted that P. acaulis grows in clay soil on elevated plains north of the Ganges river. The species occurs in open forest, scrublands, savannahs and pine forest understorey at 400 - 1500 m. In India P. acaulis flowers in the cold season from November to January with fruits ripening from April to June. (S.C. Barrow. 1998)/Palmweb.

Description

Acaulous palm; stem bulbous, to 10 cm high, densely covered with persistent leaf base stumps. Leaves 0.6 - 1.8 m long; leaf sheath reddish-brown, fibrous; rachis 0.3 - 1.5 m long x 1.5 - 2 cm in diam. at base; acanthophylls closely arranged in more than one plane, to 9 cm long; leaflets arranged in sub-opposite groups of 4s - 5s in more than one plane or orientation, about 16 - 24 on each side of rachis, linear, 8 - 36 x 0.5 - 1.4 cm, flaccid, with strong marginal nerves; lamina concolorous, pale green. Inflorescences held at ground level. Staminate inflorescences not extending beyond prophyll; prophyll papery and splitting in many places, 13 x 2 cm; peduncle about 7 x 0.6 cm; rachillae arranged in one whorl, 10 - 15 in number, about 8 cm long. Staminate flowers not seen. Pistillate inflorescences not extending beyond prophyll; prophyll papery, about 25 x 4- 6 cm; peduncle about 9 - 12 x 1.4 cm, not extending on fruit maturity; rachillae arranged in one compact whorl, 15 - 20 in number, 4 - 14 cm, drying striate, with differential maturation of fruit along rachillae. Pistillate flowers about 5 - 20 per rachilla, congested in arrangement, each subtended by a distinct rachilla swelling (bractiform notch), 3 - 10 mm long; calyx cupule 3 mm high; petals 5 - 6 x 4 mm. Fruit obovoid, 12 - 18 x 8 mm, ripening from green with scarlet apices to blue-black, with mesocarp scarcely fleshy and stigmatic remains prominently pointed (1 - 2 mm long). Seed elongate in shape, 10 x 5 mm, with rounded apices; embryo lateral opposite raphe; endosperm homogeneous. (S.C. Barrow. 1998)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.


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There has been widespread misapplication of the name P. acaulis, as a result of confusion of the species with stemless individuals of P. loureiroi. The presence of a stem can be a misleading character in the genus because individuals of several species remain stemless for extensive periods before a trunk develops. Environmental factors have an important role to play; it is common for populations of P. loureiroi in dry or disturbed areas to consist only of stemless, shrubby individuals, whereas populations occurring in less stressful conditions consist of palms with well-developed trunks. Differentiation between the two species is especially difficult when sterile. Even when in staminate flower, the prophylls of both species split to reveal inflorescences at ground level. The difference between the taxa becomes apparent on fruit set: the fruiting peduncle of P. loureiroi elongating greatly to present mature fruit beyond the leaves, whereas that of P. acaulis remains at ground level, nested amongst the leaf bases (Noltie 1994). Pistillate rachillae of P. acaulis are distinctly shorter, thicker and more congested with larger fruit than those of P. loureiroi. Each fruit of P. acaulis is subtended by a thickening of the rachilla, referred to by Roxburgh (1832) as a 'bractiform notch'. (S.C. Barrow. 1998)/Palmweb.

Culture

Growth rate: Slow, Sunlight: full sun, Water: moderate, Cold Tolerance: 18° F or less.

Min. Temperature: 20°F (-12°C) Water Requirements: Regular water Sun Requirements: full sun, passed seedling stage.

Comments and Curiosities

Uses: In times of scarcity, the bitter stem pith of P. acaulis has been used as a sago substitute (Blatter 1926). The fruits are sweet and edible, though scarcely fleshy, and are commonly eaten by animals (Roxburgh 1832). (S.C. Barrow. 1998)/Palmweb.

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Conservation: The current distribution and conservation status of P. acaulis is unclear. During fieldwork in India for this study I failed to find and observe P. acaulis in its native habitat in Uttar Pradesh, despite visits to previous collection localities. However, the species has been reported, and recently collected, from Chitwan National Park in central Nepal, near the Indian border, and Dhar (1998) discusses the recent discovery of a population in Uttar Pradesh. It is assumed that, with the decline in forest habitats formerly ranging across the sub-Himalayan belt of northern India, the natural habitat for P. acaulis has suffered and the species is now restricted to more remote and inaccessible areas. A further threat to the species in some parts of its range has been the destructive harvest of the stem pith as a sago substitute. The bitter pith of P. acaulis was used heavily in India during a severe famine in the 1930's (Blatter 1926). (S.C. Barrow. 1998)/Palmweb.

"Not what I would call an ornamental palm. This one barely has a stem if any (hence the name acaulis, or stemless). It is a native of India and Nepal and is only grown here in the US by palm enthusiasts trying to bolster the number of species in their collection. There are a lot of mislabeled palms out there as P acaulis, probably because Phoenix hybridize so readily. Most P acualis look like sad little grassy weeds- if the palm is robust and has some stiffness to the leaves, it's probably a hybrid." (Geoff Stein)

An oddly attractive dwarf Phoenix that grows a rotund, semi-subterranean, suckering trunk and short pinnate leaves with thin leaflets. Suitable for growing in a wide range of climates, from temperate to cool tropical, and especially ideal for the smaller garden or, indeed, a hot dry and bright conservatory where its unusual form can be admired. It can also be used as an unusual ground cover. These are seeds from wild, not cultivated. (RPS.com)



  • IMAGE GALLERY

  • La Quinta, CA. 5+ year old 5gal, 3 yrs in ground. Male plant. Photo by Dave H.

  • La Quinta, CA. 5+ year old 5gal, 3 yrs in ground. Male plant. Photo by Dave H.

  • La Quinta, CA. 5+ year old 5gal, 3 yrs in ground. Male plant. Photo by Dave H.

  • La Quinta, CA. 5+ year old 5gal, 3 yrs in ground. Male plant. Photo by Dave H.

  • La Quinta, CA. 5+ year old 5gal, 3 yrs in ground. Male plant. Photo by Dave H.

  • H.P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, FL. Photo by Geoff Stein

  • University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley. Photo by growin

  • Corupá - State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Photo by Gilio Giacomozzi.

  • Corupá - State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Photo by Gilio Giacomozzi.

  • Corupá - State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Photo by Gilio Giacomozzi.

  • Corupá - State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Photo by Gilio Giacomozzi.

  • Photo: ilandscape.com.au

  • Photo: Juungle Music Palms & Cycads.com

  • Photo: achat-vente-palmiers.com

  • Christchurch, NZ. Photo by Albey.

  • Photo: Dunedin Palm Boutique, Dunedin, FL.

  • Novetle, Valencia, Spain.

  • Phoenix acaulis1.jpg

  • Palo Alto, CA. Jack Tomsky Garden. Photo by Jack Tomsky

  • Palo Alto, CA. Jack Tomsky Garden. Photo by Jack Tomsky

  • Photo: seedvendor.com

  • Valencia, Spain. Photo: glenbiotech.es

  • Valencia, Spain. Photo: glenbiotech.es

  • Rare Palm Seeds.com

  • Nepal. Photo by Dr. K.K. Shrestha

  • Brazil. Photo by Ingrid P. Lin

  • Jamaica. Photo by Ingrid P. Lin

  • Image Text: Dr. Shri Dhar.

  • Image Text: Dr. Shri Dhar.

  • Image Text: desert-tropicals.com

  • Image Text: palmsnc.org

External Links

References

Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.

Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos.

Special thanks to Palmweb.org, Dr. John Dransfield, Dr. Bill Baker & team, for their volumes of information and photos.

Glossary of Palm Terms; Based on the glossary in Dransfield, J., N.W. Uhl, C.B. Asmussen-Lange, W.J. Baker, M.M. Harley & C.E. Lewis. 2008. Genera Palmarum - Evolution and Classification of the Palms. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. All images copyright of the artists and photographers (see images for credits).

S.C. Barrow, A Monograph of Phoenix L. (Palmae: Coryphoideae). 1998. A Monograph of Phoenix L. (Palmae: Coryphoideae). Kew Bulletin, Vol. 53, No. 3 (1998), pp. 513-575.
Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.

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