Phytelephas

Fruit stand a Phytelephas macrocarpa

The ivory nut palm or ivory palms ( Phytelephas ) are a genus in the palm family ( Arecaceae ). The endosperm of their seeds is used as a vegetable product ivory.

Features

The ivory nut palm trees are medium to large, dioecious palm trees. The only stem is erect. Often the leaf bases remain on the trunk, just depends mostly one or more dead leaves on the trunk. The leaves are pinnate, divided it regularly. The leaf sheath is open and has brown fibers at the edge. The petiole is concave in cross section. The leaflets are regularly set or in groups. The nerves slightly prominent. The tip of Frond is symmetrical and tapers evenly.

The inflorescence has several hanging bracts. The male inflorescences are cylindrical, yellow and wear tightly-packed blossoms. These possess an inconspicuous perianth and numerous stamens. The female inflorescences are compact and take less than 25 flowers. Each flower has three or more triangular sepals, four to ten petals and ovary from four to ten carpels.

The fruit clusters are spherical. The fruits are large and filled with corky, thorn-like excrescences. The leaves of the seedlings are pinnately divided.

The chromosome number is 2n = 36

Distribution and location

The representatives of the genus are widespread in South and Central America. They prefer moist shady locations.

Use

The fruits have a endocarp, which is about as hard as bone after drying. This is called Ivory irreplaceable raw material, for example, for carving, used (see Steinnuss ).

System

The genus Phytelephas is placed in the subfamily Ceroxyloideae, Tribe Phytelepheae within the family Arecaceae. The genus is monophyletic. Their sister group is the group of Ammandra and Aphandra.

In the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the following types are recognized:

• Phytelephas aequatorialis
• Ivory nut palm ( Phytelephas macrocarpa)
• Phytelephas schottii
• Phytelephas seemannii
• Phytelephas tenuicaulis
• Phytelephas tumacana

The genus Phytelephas was set up by the two Spanish botanists Hipólito Ruiz López and José Antonio Pavón y Jiménez; their description was published in 1798 in their joint work Systema vegetabilium florae peru vianae chilensis. Synonyms for the species are Elephantusia Willd., Palandra OFCook and Yarina OFCook.