Caryota L. Sp. Pl. 2. 1189. 1753; Gen. Pl. 5: 497. 1754; Brandis, For. Fl. 550. 1874; Alexander, Fl. Pl. W. Ind. 357. 1894; Becc. & Hook. f. in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 6: 422. 1894; Brandis, Ind. Trees 654. 1906; Talbot, For. Fl. Bomb. Sind 2: 558. 1911; Cowen, Fl. Trees, Shrubs Ind. 104. 1969; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 23: 150; Fl. North Amer. @ eFloras.org vol. 22: 114; Malik, Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 7.

Small or tall monoecious palms. Trunk solitary or clustered, cylindrical, annulate, monocarpic. Leaves 4-20, borne out along stem or borne in a compact crown at top of stem, very large; leaf sheaths closed, not forming crown shafts; petiole short or long, rounded in C.S., covered with whitish or brownish hairs, sometimes striped; leaves bipinnate, each primary pinna made up of several secondary pinnae borne on secondary rachis terminated by a pinna; individual secondary pinnae obliquely triangular with jagged outer margins, often spreading in different planes, base swollen at the point of attachment. Plants monoecious, monocarpic, flowering proceeding from top of stem downwards (basipetalous). Inflorescences usually branched to 1 order, rarely spicate, borne either among or below leaves, covered with many persistent bracts; peduncle bearing a prophyll and several peduncular bracts; rachillae usually many, long and pendulous. Flowers unisexual, borne spirally on rachillae in triads. Male Flowers: Sepals 3, free, imbricate, coriaceous. Petals 3, connate at base, much longer than sepals. Stamens 6-150, free or connate at base. Pistillode absent. Female Flowers: Smaller than male. Sepals 3, coriaceous, free, imbricate. Petals 3, short, connate basally, coriaceous, rounded, lobes ovate. Staminodes present or absent. Ovary 3-locular, one ovule per locule; stigma sessile. Fruit berries orange, red or purple, medium-sized, +/- globose, 1- or 2-seeded; mericarp filled with needle shaped crystals; endosperm ruminate, occasionally homogeneous.

14 species

Caryota urens L., Sp. Pl. 2. 1189. 1753; Becc. & Hook. f. in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 6: 422. 1894; Brandis, Ind. Trees 654. 1906; Parker, For. Fl. Punj. ed. 1. 525. 1918 (Reprint 1973); Maheshwari, Fl. Delhi 342. 1963; Bailey, Man. Cult. Pl. (Reprinted). 172. 1966; Fl. North Amer. @ eFloras.org 22: 115; Malik, Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 8; Fl. Nicaragua @ World Flora online.

Solitary palm, 6-12 m tall and ca. 60 cm in diameter. Trunk erect, stout, unarmed, whitish- grey, annulate with conspicuous rings. Leaves 7-15, up to 3.5 m long and up to 3 m wide, not grouped in a terminal crown, but arising successfully along the trunk for considerably good distance below the apex, bipinnate; primary pinnae obliquely inserted on rachis, 1.2-1.5 m long, alternate, swollen at the point of insertion, each primary pinna consisting of several secondary pinnae (pinnules) arranged regularly and distichously on secondary rachis; pinnules fish-tail shaped, up to 15 cm x 8 cm, cuneate with jagged apex and outer margin produced into short or long narrow point, inner side decurrent with secondary rachis for up to 14 cm length; many main nerves arising from base; surfaces green, shining and glabrous; sheath and petiole ca. 1.5 m long covered by brown scales, sheath smooth with margin fibrous, petiole stout. Plant monoecious, monocarpic, flowering proceeding from top of stem downwards (basipetalous). Inflorescences interfoliar or intrafoliar, axillary, very large, 3 m or more long, pendulous, usually branched to 1 order; peduncle ca. 1 m long, stout, covered with many persistent bracts: prophyll and ca. 8 peduncular bracts; branches (rachillae) more than 50, pendent, 2-2.5 m long, bisexual. Flowers unisexual, borne spirally on rachillae in triads, 2 small female and one larger male. Male Flowers: 10-12 mm long. Sepals 3, free, imbricate, coriaceous, 2-2.5 mm long. Petals 3, connate in lower half, ca. 10 mm x 4-4.5 mm, lobes valvate, thick. Stamens many, 16-18(-40), free; filaments small, ca. 1 mm long; anthers linear-oblong, ca. 7 mm long, dorsifixed. Pistillode absent. Female Flowers: ca. 6 mm long, smaller than male. Sepals as in male flowers. Petals 3, short, ca. 5-6 mm long, basally connate, coriaceous, lobes valvate. Staminodes 3. Ovary ca. 2-2.5 mm long and broad, with only one ovule; stigma sessile, shallowly 3-lobed. Fruit a berry, reddish-purple when ripe, small, globular, ca. 2.1 cm x 2.3 cm, juicy, juice irritant because of oxalate crystals; apical stigmatic residue; endosperm ruminate.

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