Phoenix pusilla
Gaertn.
Arecaceae
Phoenix farinifera Roxb.
Phoenix zeylanica Trimen
Zelonops pusilla (Gaertn.) Raf.
Common Name:
General Information
Phoenix pusilla is an evergreen palm tree, producing one or a cluster of unbranched stems up to 6 metres tall and 30cm in diameter. The stems are thickly clothed with old leaf sheaths and topped by a crown of leaves are up to 3 metres long[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
464- Title
- A Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon
- Publication
-
- Author
- Trimen H.; continued by Hooker J.D.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Dulau and Co; London.
- Year
- 1898
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Very dated, but still a useful work. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
1737- Title
- A Monograph of Phoenix L. (Palmae; Coryphoidede)
- Publication
- Kew Bulletin Vol 53, 3, 513-575, 1998
- Author
- Barrow S.C.
- Website
- http://10.2307/4110478
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
An edible starch is obtained from the stems in times of food shortage. The leaves are used locally for making baskets, mats etc.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
464- Title
- A Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon
- Publication
-
- Author
- Trimen H.; continued by Hooker J.D.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Dulau and Co; London.
- Year
- 1898
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Very dated, but still a useful work. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
1737- Title
- A Monograph of Phoenix L. (Palmae; Coryphoidede)
- Publication
- Kew Bulletin Vol 53, 3, 513-575, 1998
- Author
- Barrow S.C.
- Website
- http://10.2307/4110478
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
Range
E. Asia - southern India, Sri Lanka.
Habitat
Dry, barren ground, often in sandy land at a small distance from the sea, also found inland at the margins of marshes and raised banks along borders of paddy fields; at elevations up to 700 metres[
1737- Title
- A Monograph of Phoenix L. (Palmae; Coryphoidede)
- Publication
- Kew Bulletin Vol 53, 3, 513-575, 1998
- Author
- Barrow S.C.
- Website
- http://10.2307/4110478
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
]
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 3.50 m |
| Self-fertile | No |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant of the drier, lowland tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 700 metres. Plants can tolerate some frost[
314- Title
- Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.pacsoa.org.au/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website.
].
Requires a sunny position, succeeding in most well-drained soil[
314- Title
- Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.pacsoa.org.au/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website.
,
974- Title
- Encyclopedia of Tropical Plants - Identification and Cultivation of over 3,000 Tropical Plants
- Publication
-
- Author
- Ahmed Fayaz
- Publisher
- Firefly Books Ltd.; New Zealand
- Year
- 2011
- ISBN
- 978-1-55407-489
- Description
- A good photograph and terse but detailed information for over 3,000 species of tropical plants. An excellent reference.
]. Tolerant of some salt in the soil[
314- Title
- Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.pacsoa.org.au/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website.
].
Phoenix species are quite liable to hybridize where the various species meet as a result of cultivation[
1737- Title
- A Monograph of Phoenix L. (Palmae; Coryphoidede)
- Publication
- Kew Bulletin Vol 53, 3, 513-575, 1998
- Author
- Barrow S.C.
- Website
- http://10.2307/4110478
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
A dioecious species - both male and female forms need to be grown if seed is required.
Edible Uses
An edible starch is obtained from the trunk[
146- Title
- A Manual of Indian Timbers.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Gamble. J. S.
- Publisher
- Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- First written in the 19th century, but still a classic, giving a lot of information on the uses and habitats of Indian trees. Not for the casual reader.
]. It is used in times of scarcity[
,
464- Title
- A Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon
- Publication
-
- Author
- Trimen H.; continued by Hooker J.D.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Dulau and Co; London.
- Year
- 1898
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Very dated, but still a useful work. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Fruit - raw[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. Fleshy, sweet and mealy, with a flavour like chestnuts(Castanea spp.)[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
,
464- Title
- A Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon
- Publication
-
- Author
- Trimen H.; continued by Hooker J.D.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Dulau and Co; London.
- Year
- 1898
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Very dated, but still a useful work. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. Often eaten by children[
1737- Title
- A Monograph of Phoenix L. (Palmae; Coryphoidede)
- Publication
- Kew Bulletin Vol 53, 3, 513-575, 1998
- Author
- Barrow S.C.
- Website
- http://10.2307/4110478
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
]. The purple-black, ovoid fruit is around 11 - 15mm long and 5 - 8mm wide, containing a single large seed[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
1737- Title
- A Monograph of Phoenix L. (Palmae; Coryphoidede)
- Publication
- Kew Bulletin Vol 53, 3, 513-575, 1998
- Author
- Barrow S.C.
- Website
- http://10.2307/4110478
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
The leaves are woven into ornamental baskets, sleeping mats and pouches[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
146- Title
- A Manual of Indian Timbers.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Gamble. J. S.
- Publisher
- Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- First written in the 19th century, but still a classic, giving a lot of information on the uses and habitats of Indian trees. Not for the casual reader.
,
464- Title
- A Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon
- Publication
-
- Author
- Trimen H.; continued by Hooker J.D.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Dulau and Co; London.
- Year
- 1898
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Very dated, but still a useful work. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The leaflets are stripped of the midrib, boiled and then sundried before being used for making various woven products[
1737- Title
- A Monograph of Phoenix L. (Palmae; Coryphoidede)
- Publication
- Kew Bulletin Vol 53, 3, 513-575, 1998
- Author
- Barrow S.C.
- Website
- http://10.2307/4110478
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
The split petioles are used for making baskets[
464- Title
- A Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon
- Publication
-
- Author
- Trimen H.; continued by Hooker J.D.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Dulau and Co; London.
- Year
- 1898
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Very dated, but still a useful work. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Propagation
Seed - pre-soak for 24 hours prior to sowing[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. The seed germinates best at a temperature of 21 - 27°c[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Division of offsets[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
