Palmae (Arecaceae) includes common members such as date palm, coconut palm, and oil palm. They have a tropical distribution and are ecologically important where found. Members are perennial trees, herbs, or lianas with large leaves and flowers arranged in panicles, spikes, or cymes. Fruits are usually drupes. Palms have great economic importance as sources of fruits, fibers, oils, starch, and construction materials.

1. PALMAE(ARECACEAE)

2. COMMON MEMBERS
phoenix dactylifera
cocos nucifera

3. Elaeis oleifera,

4. distribution
 Arecaceae Have Distributions Mostly In Warm, Tropical Regions And Are Often
Ecologically Important Where They Occur

5. habit
 Arecaceae consist of perennial trees, large rhizomatous herbs, or lianas
 stem is usually arborescent, consisting of a single, unbranched trunk
[dichotomously branched in Hyphaene], or a stout, dichotomously branched
rhizome (Nypa), or an elongate liana with long internodes (rattan palms)
 leaves are typically quite large, generally terminal (acrocaulis), spiral [rarely
distichous or tristichous], with a sheathing base and an elongate, stout
petiole (sometimes referred to as pseduopetiole ) between the sheath apex
and blade.
 inflorescence is typically an axillary, bracteate panicle or spike of solitary
flowers or of cyme units

6.  flowers are unisexual or bisexual, actinomorphic, sessile, and hypogynous.
 perianth is usually biseriate and monochlamydeous, 3+3 [0, 2+2, or ∞], apotepalous.
 stamens are 3+3 [3 or ∞], distinct or connate, epitepalous in some spp., staminodes
present in some spp.
 Anthers are longitudinal, rarely poricidal, in dehiscence.
 gynoecium is syncarpous or apocarpous, with a superior ovary, usually 3 [1, 2, 4 ∞]
carpels, and 3 or 1 [∞] locules. styles, if present, are distinct or connate; stigmas are
sessile or at tip of styles.
 Placentation is variable; ovules are variable in type, bitegmic, and 1 per locule. Septal
nectaries are present in some taxa.
 fruit is fleshy or fibrous, usually a drupe, rarely dehiscent, some with outer scales
(Calamoideae), hairs, prickles, or other processes.
 Seeds are usually 1 per fruit and have an oil or hemicellulose rich, sometimes ruminate,
endosperm; starch is absent.

7. Economic importance
 Palms are of great economic imporance, including uses as fruits (e.g., Cocos
nucifera, coconut palm, Phoenix dactylifera, date palm),
 furniture/canes (rattan palms),
 fibers (e.g., coir from the mesocarp of Cocos nucifera),
 oils (e.g., Elaeis oleifera, oil palm),
 starch (e.g., Metroxylon spp., sago palms),
 waxes (e.g., Copernicia cerifera, wax palm), and many species used
indigenously as timber or in building construction;
 fruits of Areca catechu, betel palm, are chewed in India (with Piper betle
leaves and lime) as a stimulant