''Phoenix roebelenii'', with common names of dwarf date palm, pygmy date palm, miniature date palm or robellini palm, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of date palm

native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...

to southeastern Asia, from southwestern China (

Yunnan Yunnan , () is a landlocked province in the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders the C ...

Province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

), northern Laos and northern

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

, (in Dien Bien Province, Ha Giang Province, Cao Bang Province, Lang Son Province).WCSP, World Checklist of Arecaceae
''Phoenix roebelenii''
/ref> The Latin specific epithet ''roebelenii'' honours the orchid collector Carl Roebelen (1855–1927).

Description

''Phoenix roebelenii'' is a small to medium-sized, slow-growing slender

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

growing to tall. The leaves are long,

pinnate Pinnation (also called pennation) is the arrangement of feather-like or multi-divided features arising from both sides of a common axis. Pinnation occurs in biological morphology, in crystals, such as some forms of ice or metal crystals, and in ...

, with around 100 leaflets arranged in a single plane (unlike the related '' P. loureiroi'' where the leaflets are in two planes). Each leaflet is long and 1 cm wide, slightly drooping, and grey-green in colour with scurfy pubescence below. The

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s are small, yellowish, produced on a

inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphology (biology), Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of sperma ...

. The

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...

is an edible 1 cm drupe resembling a small, thin-fleshed

date Date or dates may refer to: *Date (fruit), the fruit of the date palm (''Phoenix dactylifera'') Social activity *Dating, a form of courtship involving social activity, with the aim of assessing a potential partner ** Group dating *Play date, a ...

.Huxley, A., ed. (1992). ''New RHS Dictionary of Gardening''. Macmillan . This Palm produces strong, spiny thorns approx. 2-4" in length. The size of the thorns depends on the age of the tree. These thorns are located on the Palm Leaf stem close to the truck and can may extend 6-12" from the trunk. The thorns are very sharp and easily penetrate the skin. They are poisonous and can cause irritation, skin infection, bruising and can be severe. They can also cause an allergic reaction. These reactions differentiate on the exposure.

Cultivation and uses

''Phoenix roebelenii'' is a popular

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...

in gardens in tropical and subtropical climate areas. With a minimum temperature requirement of it is grown under glass or as a

houseplant A houseplant, sometimes known as a pot plant, potted plant, or an indoor plant, is an ornamental plant that is grown indoors. As such, they are found in places like residences and offices, mainly for decorative purposes. Common houseplants are us ...

in cooler areas. It needs little pruning to develop a strong structure, is resistant to pests, is tolerant to soil variation, and is moderately drought tolerant. The plant grows in partial shade to full sun, with the local climate determining where to plant. This plant has gained the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nor ...

's Award of Garden Merit. The

NASA Clean Air Study __NOTOC__ The NASA Clean Air Study was a project led by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in association with the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) in 1989, to research ways to clean the air in sealed envir ...

concluded that this was a plant that was effective at removing common household air toxins

formaldehyde Formaldehyde ( , ) (systematic name methanal) is a naturally occurring organic compound with the formula and structure . The pure compound is a pungent, colourless gas that polymerises spontaneously into paraformaldehyde (refer to section ...

and

benzene Benzene is an organic chemical compound with the molecular formula C6H6. The benzene molecule is composed of six carbon atoms joined in a planar ring with one hydrogen atom attached to each. Because it contains only carbon and hydrogen atoms ...

Gallery

Image:Roebeleniiinflorescences.JPG, New inflorescences Image:Phoenixroebeleniifruit.JPG, Fruit Image:P.roebelenii.JPG, Male flowers

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q164113 roebelenii Trees of China Trees of Laos Trees of Vietnam Garden plants Garden plants of Asia House plants Ornamental trees