Dwarf date palm

Description

Phoenix roebelenii, with common names of dwarf date palm, pygmy date palm, miniature date palm or robellini palm, is a species of date palm native to southeastern Asia, from southwestern China (Yunnan Province), northern Laos and northern Vietnam, (in Dien Bien Province, Ha Giang Province, Cao Bang Province, Lang Son Province). The Latin specific epithet roebelenii honours the orchid collector Carl Roebelen (1855–1927). Phoenix roebelenii is a small to medium-sized, slow-growing slender tree growing to 2–7 metres (6.6–23.0 ft) tall. The leaves are 60–120 cm (24–47 in) long, pinnate, with around 100 leaflets arranged in a single plane (unlike the related P. loureiroi where the leaflets are in two planes). Each leaflet is 15–25 cm (6–10 in) long and 1 cm wide, slightly drooping, and grey-green in colour with scurfy pubescence below. The flowers are small, yellowish, produced on a 45 cm (18 in) inflorescence. The fruit is an edible 1 cm drupe resembling a small, thin-fleshed date.