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Roystonea regia (Kunth) O.F.
Cook
Synonym
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Roystonea regia var. hondurensis
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Family
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Arecaceae
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Local name
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English- Royal
palm
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Flowering and fruiting
period
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Throughout
the year
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Distribution
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Native
of Central and South America
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Distribution in Kerala
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All
Districts
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Habitat
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Grown
as avenue palm
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Endemic/Exotic
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Exotic
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Uses
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Roystonea regia has
been planted throughout the tropics and subtropics as an ornamental. The seed
is used as a source of oil and
for livestock feed. Leaves are used for thatching
and the wood for construction.
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Key
botanical characters:
Solitary
palm; stem columnar, commonly bulging at middle and at base, to 20 m long and
about 70 cm in diameter at base, outer surface smooth, dull grey in colour.
Leaves spreading to all directions, leaflets arranged in 4 ranks.
Inflorescence infrafoliar, about 1 m long, enclosed in a tubular bract in the
younger stages. Flower branches straight, slightly swollen at base, once or
twice branched. Fruit globose, 1-1.3 cm in diameter, brown to dark purple
when ripe.
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