Phoenix pusilla (pusilla, Latin: tiny or weak), the Ceylon date palm or flour palm,[1] is a species of flowering plant in the palm family, native to southern India and Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon). They are found in lowlands, ridges and on hills. No taller than 5 m, this species is usually single-stemmed but clumps do occur naturally. At 25 cm in diameter, the trunks are covered with distinct leaf-base scars, forming a 'wicker' pattern. Their distinguishable trunks have made them popular in cultivation. They are drought tolerant and slow-growing.

Ceylon date palm
A fruiting specimen of P. pusilla at Guindy National Park in Chennai
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Arecales
Family: Arecaceae
Genus: Phoenix
Species:
P. pusilla
Binomial name
Phoenix pusilla

References

edit
  1. ^ "Phoenix pusilla". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 18 April 2021.