Habit: Monoecious.
Stem: 1, smooth, with conspicuous nodal rings.
Leaf: pinnately compound; petiole generally unarmed, bases not persistent on trunk; leaflet margins folded downward.
Inflorescence: within crown, < leaves; flowers borne in 3s with 1 pistillate flower flanked by 2 staminate, also staminate flowers borne singly at distal end of inflorescence.
Staminate Flower: sepals fused; petals free.
Pistillate Flower: sepals free; petals free; pistil 1.
Fruit: drupe, generally fleshy, oily, +- orange.
Species In Genus: 32 species: North America, West Indies, South America.
Etymology: (Unknown, name used by Pliny for a kind of palm)
Jepson eFlora Author: Scott Simono
Reference: Henderson et al. 1995 Field Guide Palms Americas. Princeton Univ Press; Zona 2000 FNANM 22:120--121
Index of California Plant Names (ICPN; linked via the Jepson Online Interchange)
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