Caryota obtusa
Template:Short description Template:Speciesbox
Caryota obtusa is a species of flowering plant in the palm family Arecaceae.[1][2] It is native to India, Laos and Thailand. The palm is commonly called giant fishtail palm or Thai giant caryota. It can reach 20 meters or more in height and is thus considered a tree. It is monocarpic meaning it flowers once, then dies. Its inflorescence can reach 6 meters or more in length.
Description
This palm usually produces a single stem with several leaves on its crown, and their stems are extremely hard, with even power tools such as chainsaws struggling to cut through their tough wood. Its leaves are bipinnate and often reach lengths of 20-25 feet in length, and produce fishtail shaped leaflets. Their peduncles are often wide and are a vivid green in color, and their flowers are often a creamy white. Their fruits are highly toxic due to their irritating oxalates, and when their fruits are ripe, they often turn reddish.[3]
References
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External Links
- World Checklist of Monocotyledons, Caryota obtusa Griff., Calcutta J. Nat. Hist. 5: 480 (1845). Accessed 30 April 2008.
- International Plant Names Index, Arecaceae Caryota obtusa Griff. Accessed 30 April 2008.
- Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia, Caryota - The Big Ones. Accessed 30 April 2008.
- Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database, Sorting Caryota Names. Accessed 30 April 2008.