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ABSTRACT:
This report will briefly present the structure and physical construction of palm trees, biologically called Arecaceae. Furthermore the reproduction and various aspects of palm trees will be explained.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Morphology of Palm Trees
2.1 Palm Tree – Stems
2.2 Palm Tree Types – Leaves Information
2.3 Palm Tree – Flowers
2.4 Palm Tree – Fruit
2.5 Palm Tree – Seeds
3.0 Range and Habitat
4.0 Uses and Cultivation
5.0 Germination
6.0 Conclusion
7.0 Reference List
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this report is to give an insight into the genus of Arecaceae and to specify and evaluate the development as well as the physical structure, differences and reproduction of palm trees, with the help of various internet sources.
palm (päm)
n.
1. Any of various chiefly tropical evergreen trees, shrubs, or woody vines of the family Palmae (or Arecaceae), characteristically having unbranched trunks with a crown of large pinnate or palmate leaves having conspicuous parallel venation.
This is the definition of a palm tree as it can be found within a dictionary.
Arecaceae or Palmae (also known by the name Palmaceae, which is considered taxonomically invalid, or by the common name palm tree), the palm family, is a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates. Most palms are distinguished by their large, compound, evergreen leaves arranged at the top of an unbranched stem. However, many palms are exceptions to this statement, and palms in fact exhibit an enormous diversity in physical characteristics. As well as being morphologically diverse, palms also inhabit nearly every type of habitat within their range, from rainforests to deserts.
Palms are among the best known and extensively cultivated plant families. They have been important to humans throughout much of history. Many common products and foods are derived from palms, and palms are also widely used in landscaping for their exotic appearance, making them one of the most economically important plants. In many historical cultures, palms were symbols for such ideas as victory, peace, and fertility. Today, palms remain a popular symbol for the tropics and vacations.
Arecaceae is the first modern family of monocots that is clearly represented in the fossil record. Palms first appear in the fossil record around 80 million years ago, during the late Cretaceous Period. The first modern species, such as Nypa fruticans and Acrocomia aculeata, appeared 69-70 million years ago, confirmed by fossil Nypa pollen dated to 70 million years ago. Palms appear to have undergone an early period of adaptive radiation. By 60 million years ago, many of the modern, specialized genera of palms appeared and became widespread and common, much more widespread than their range today. Because palms separated from the monocots earlier than other families, they developed more intrafamilial specialization and diversity. By tracing back these diverse characteristics of palms to the basic structures of monocots, palms may be valuable in studying monocot evolution.
Evidence can also be found in samples of petrified palmwood.
80 million years has seen many species of palm evolve. As environmental changes happened, so many different species of palms evolved in different ways. From turbulent, volcanic landscapes to humid, tropical jungles and even in the cooler regions and at altitude with seasonal snow fall. With over 2800 known species, and more being discovered from time to time, palms have adapted and established well on this earth.
The method of distribution of palms across the planet is varied. Some palm seeds travel in the stomachs of birds and other animals in order to begin life further afield from their parent, in fact many rely on this particularly acidic method of accommodation in order to break down the seed wall for germination. Some palms establish themselves due to the export of fruit, for example dates, when the discarded seeds germinate and grow. The coconut has perfected a particularly effective method by means of falling into the sea and being taken by the ocean currents to distant shores, moving further afield with each generation, until now being established on every tropical coastline in the world. Another more recent method is the international trade of plants and seeds by collectors and commercial growers for prized garden and house plants.
2.0 MORPHOLOGY OF PALM TREES
Palms, for identification purposes. can be divided into two major groups: those that have palmate or fan-shaped leaves; and those that have pinnate, or feather-shaped leaves. The palmate-leaved species are characterized by a leaf structure in which all leaf segments arise from a single point, similar to the structure of a human hand. Pinnate leaves are characterized by leaves along each side of a central axis, similar in design to that of a feather.
Palm Tree (Palmaceae) have been termed the princes of the vegetable kingdom. Neither the anatomy of the Palms stems nor the conformation of Palm Tree flowers, however, entitles them to any such high position in the vegetable hierarchy. Palm Tree stems are not more complicated in structure than those of the common butcher’s broom (Ruscus); their flowers are for the most part as simple as those of a rush (Juncus). The order Palmaceae is characterized among monocotyledonous plants by the presence of an unbranched stem bearing a tuft of leaves at the extremity only, or with the leaves scattered; these leaves, often gigantic in size, being usually firm in texture and branching in a pinnate or palmate fashion. The flowers are borne on simple or branching spikes, very generally protected by a spathe or spathes, and each consists typically of a perianth of six greenish, somewhat inconspicuous segments in two rows, with six stamens, or pistil of 1-3 carpel's, each with a single ovule and a succulent or dry fruit. The seed consists almost exclusively of endosperm, Upper portion of Coconut seed, albumen in a cavity in showing the embryo, embedded in endosperm, which is lodged the relatively very minute embryo. These are the general characteristics by which this very well-defined order may be discriminated, but, in a group containing considerably more than a thousand species, Palm Tree deviations from the general plan of structure occur with some frequency. As the characteristic appearances of palms depend to a large extent upon these modifications, some of the more important among them may briefly be noticed.
2.1 PALM TREE – STEMS
Taking the stem first, we may mention that it is in very many palms relatively tall, erect, unbranched, regularly cylindrical, or dilated below so as to form an elongated cone, either smooth, or covered with the projecting remnants of the former Palms leaves, or marked with circular scars indicating the position of those leaves which have now fallen away. It varies in. diameter from the thickness of a reed (as in Chamaedorea) to a sturdy pillar-like structure as seen in the date-palm, Palmyra palm or Talipot. In other cases the very slender Palm Tree stem is prostrate, scandent by means of formidable hooked prickles which, by enabling the plant to support itself on. The branches of neighboring Palms, also permit the stem to grow to a very great length and so to expose the foliage to the light and air above the tree-tops of the dense forests the Palm Tree grows in, as in the genus Calamus, the Rattan or Cane palms. In some few instances the trunk, or that portion of it which is above ground, is so short that the Palm Tree is in a loose way called “ stemless “ or “ acaulescent,” as in Geonoma, and as happens sometimes in the only species found in a wild state in Europe, Chamaerops humus. The vegetable ivory (Phytelephas) of equatorial America has a very short thick stem bearing a tall cluster of leaves which appears to rise from the ground. In many Palm Tree species the trunk is covered with a dense network of stiff fibers, often compacted together at the free ends into spines. This fibrous material, which is so valuable for cordage, consists of the fibrous tissue of the leafstalk, which in these cases persists after the decay of the softer portions. It is very characteristic of some palms to produce from the base of the stem a series of adventitious roots which gradually thrust themselves into the soil and serve to steady the Palm tree and prevent its overthrow by the wind. The underground stem of some species, e.g. of Calamus, is a rhizome, or root-stock, lengthening in a more or less horizontal manner by the development of the terminal bud, and sending up lateral branches like suckers from the root-stock, which form dense thickets of cane-like stems. The branching of the Palm Tree stem above ground is unusual, except in the case of the Doum palm of Egypt (Hyphaene) , where the stem forks, often repeatedly; this is due to the development of a branch to an equal strength with the main stem. In other cases branching, when present, is probably the result of some injury to the terminal bud at the top of the stem, in consequence of which buds sprout out from below the apex. The internal structure of the Palm Tree stem does not differ fundamentally from that-of a typical monocotyledonous stem, the taller, harder trunks owing their hardness not only to the fibrous or woody skeleton but also to the fact that, as growth goes on, the originally soft cellular ground tissue through which the fibers run becomes hardened by the deposit of woody matter within the cells, so that ultimately the cellular portions of the Palm Tree become as hard as the woody fibrous tissue.
2.2 PALM TREE TYPES - LEAVES INFORMATION
The leaves of the Palms are either arranged at more or less distant intervals along the stem, as in the canes, or are approximated in tufts at the end of the stem, thus forming those noble crowns of foliage which are so closely associated with the general idea of a palm. In the young condition, while still unfolded, these Palm leaves, with the succulent end of the stem from which they arise, form “the cabbage,” which in some Palm species is highly esteemed as an article of food.
The adult Palms leaf generally presents a sheathing base tapering upwards into the stalk or petiole, and this again bearing the lamina or blade. The sheath and the petiole very often bear stout spines, as in the rattan palms and when, in course of time, the upper parts of the leaf decay and fall off, the base of thePalms leaf-stalk and sheath often remain, either entirely or in their fibrous portions only, which latter constitute the investment to the Palms stem already mentioned. In size the leaves vary within very wide limits, some being only a few inches in extent, while those of the noble Carycta I , may be measured in tens of feet. In form the Palm Tree leaves are very rarely simple; usually they are more or less divided, sometimes, as in Caryota, extremely so. In Palm tree species of Geonoma, Vers chaffeltia and some others, the leaf splits into two divisions at the apex and not elsewhere; but more usually the leaves branch regularly. The form of the segments is generally more or less linear, b
ut a very distinct appearance is given by the broad wedge-shaped leaflets of such palms as Caryotct, Martinezia or Mauritia. These forms run one into another by transitional gradations; and even in the same palm tree the form of the leaf is often very different at different stages of its growth, so that it is a difficult matter to name correctly seedling or juvenile palms in the condition in which we generally meet with them in the nurseries, or even to foresee what the future development of the Palms is likely to be. Like the other parts of the plant, the leaves are sometimes invested with hairs or spines; and, in some instances, as in the magnificent Ceroxylon andicola, the under surface is of a glaucous white or bluish color, from a coating of wax.
2.3 PALM TREE – FLOWERS
The inflorescence of the palm tree consists generally of a fleshy spike, either simple or much branched, studded with numerous, sometimes extremely numerous, flowers, and enveloped by one or more sheathing bracts called “spathes“. These parts may be small, or they may attain relatively enormous dimensions, hanging down from amid the Palm Tree crown of foliage like huge tresses, and adding greatly to the noble effect of the tree's leaves. In some cases, as in the Talipot palm, the tree only flowers once; it grows for many years until it has become a large Palms then develops a huge inflorescence, and after the fruit has ripened, the Palm tree dies.
The individual Palms flowers are usually small (figs. 3, 6), greenish and insignificant; their general structure has been mentioned already. Modifications from the Palm Tree typical structure arise from difference of texture, and specially from suppression of parts, in consequence of which the Palm flowers are very generally unisexual, though the flowers of the two sexes are generally produced on the same Palm tree (monoecious), not indeed always in the same season, for a Palm tree in one year may produce all male flowers and in the next all female flowers. Sometimes the Palms flowers are modified by an increase in the number of parts; thus the usually six stamens may be represented by I2’to 24 or even by hundreds. The carpel's are usually three in number, and more or less combined; but they may be free, and their number may be reduced to two or even one. In any case each carpel contains but a single ovule.
Owing to the sexual arrangements before mentioned for the Palms, the pollen has to be transported by the agency of the wind or of insects to the Palm Tree's female flowers. This is facilitated sometimes by the elastic movements of the stamens and anthers, which liberate the pollen so freely at certain times that travelers speak of the date palms of Egypt (Phoenix dactylifera) being at daybreak hidden in a mist of pollen grains. In other Palm tree cases fertilization is effected by the agency of man, who removes the male flowers and scatters the pollen over the fruit-bearing trees. This practice has been followed in the case of the date from time immemorial; and it afforded one of the earliest and most irrefragable proofs by means of which the sexuality of plants was finally established. In the course of ripening of the fruit two of the carpel's with their ovules may become absorbed, as in the coco-nut, the fruit of which contains only one seed though the three carpel's are indicated by the three longitudinal sutures and by the presence of three germ-pores on the hard endocarp.
2.4 PALM TREE – FRUIT
The Palms fruit is various in form, size and character; sometimes, as in the common date from a Palm Tree is a berry with a fleshy rind enclosing a hard stony kernel, the true seed; the fruit of Areca is similar; sometimes it is a kind of drupe as in Acrccomia, or the coconut, Cocos nucif era, where the fibrous central portion investing the hard shell corresponds to the fleshy portion 
of a plum or cherry, while the shell or nut corresponds to the stone of stone-fruits, the seed being the kernel. In Borassus the three seeds are each enclosed in a separate chamber formed by the stony endocarp. Sometimes, as in the Palm Tree species of Metroxylon, Raphia, and Daemonorops, the Palms fruit is covered with hard, pointed, reflexed shining scales, which give the Palm a very remarkable appearance.
2.5 PALM TREE - SEEDS
The Palm tree seeds show a corresponding variety in size and shape, but always consist of a mass of Palm endosperm, in which is embedded a relatively very minute embryo. The hard stone of the date palm is the endosperm, the white oily flesh of the coco-nut is the same substance in a softer condition; the so-called “vegetable ivory” is derived from the endosperm of Phytelephas. In some Palms genera the inner seed coat becomes thickened along the course of the vascular bundles and growing into the endosperm produces the characteristic appearance in section known as ruminate—this is well shown in the Areca nut.
3.0 RANGE AND HABITAT
The order (Palm Tree) is mainly tropical, but with some Palms in warm temperate regions. Chamaerops humilis is a native of the Mediterranean region, and the date-palm yields fruit in southern Europe as far north as 38° N. latitude. In eastern Asia the Palms, like other tropical families, extend along the coast reaching Korea and the south of Japan. In America a few small genera occur in the southern United States and California; and in South America the southern limit is reached in the Chilean genus Juhaea (the Chile coco-nut) at 37° S. latitude. The great centers of distribution for Palm Trees are tropical America and tropical Asia; tropical Africa contains only 2 genera, though some of the species, like the Doum Palm Tree (Hyphaene thebaica) and the Deleb or Palmyra palm tree(Borassusfiabellifer) have a wide distribution. With three exceptions Old and New World forms are distinct—the coco-nut (Cocos nucifera) is widely distributed on the coasts of tropical Africa, in India and the South Seas, the other species of the genus Palm are confined to the western hemisphere. The oil palm tree (Elaeis guineensis) is a native of west tropical Africa, the other Palm Tree species of the genus is tropical American. Raphia has also species in both tropical Africa and tropical America.
Their diversity is highest in wet, lowland tropical forests, especially in ecological "hotspots" such as Madagascar, which has more endemic palms than all of Africa. Colombia may have the highest number of palm species in one country.
It is estimated that only 130 palm species grow naturally beyond the tropics, mostly in the subtropics. The northernmost native palm is Chamaerops humilis, which reaches 44°N latitude in southern France. The southernmost palm is the Rhopalostylis sapida, which reaches 44°S on the Chatham Islands where an oceanic climate prevails. Palms grow well under cultivation as far north as Scotland and British Columbia (Vancouver/ Vancouver Island).
Palms inhabit a variety of ecosystems. More than two thirds of palm species live in tropical forests, where some species grow tall enough to form part of the canopy and shorter ones form part of the understory. Some species form pure stands in areas with poor drainage or regular flooding, including Raphia hookeri which is common in coastal freshwater swamps in West Africa. Other palms live in tropical mountain habitats above 1000 meters, such as those in the genus Ceroxylon native to the Andes. Palms may also live in grasslands and scrublands, usually associated with a water source, and in desert oases such as the Date Palm. A few palms are adapted to extremely basic lime soils, while others are similarly adapted to very acidic serpentine soils.
4.0 USES AND CULTIVATION
Human use of palms is as old or older than human civilization itself, starting with the cultivation of the Date Palm by Mesopotamians and other Middle Eastern peoples 5000 years or more ago.[14] Date wood, pits for storing dates, and other remains of the Date Palm have been found in Mesopotamian sites. The Date Palm had a tremendous effect on the history of the Middle East.
An indication of the importance of Palms is that they are mentioned more than 30 times in the Bible, and at least 22 times in the Quran.
Fruit of the Date Palm Phoenix dactylifera
Arecaceae has great economic importance including coconut products, oils, dates, palm syrup, ivory nuts, carnauba wax, rattan cane, raffia and palm wood.
The type member of Arecaceae is the Areca palm, the fruit of which, the betel nut, is chewed with the betel leaf for intoxicating effects. Also belonging to the family of the Arecaceae are the Date Palm, harvested for its edible fruit; Rattans, whose stems are used extensively in furniture and baskets; and the Coconut. Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil produced by the oil palms in the genus Elaeis. Several species are harvested for heart of palm, a vegetable eaten in salads. Palm sap is sometimes fermented to produce palm wine or toddy, an alcoholic beverage common in parts of Africa, India, and the Philippines. The Palm Sunday festival uses palm leaves, usually from the Date Palm, to commemorate Jesus' entry to Jerusalem, when palm leaves were strewn on the road before him. Dragon's blood, a red resin used traditionally in medicine, varnish, and dyes, may be obtained from the fruit of Daemonorops species. Coir is a coarse water-resistant fiber extracted from the outer shell of coconuts, used in doormats, brushes, mattresses, and ropes. Some indigenous groups living in palm-rich areas use palms to make many of their necessary items and food. Sago, for example, a starch made from the pith of the trunk of the Sago Palm Metroxylon sagu, is a major staple food for lowland peoples of New Guinea and the Moluccas. Palm leaves are also valuable to some peoples as a material for thatching or clothing.
Washingtonia robusta trees line Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica, California.
Today, palms are valuable as ornamental plants and are often grown along streets in tropical and subtropical cities, and also along the Mediterranean coast in Europe. Farther north, palms are a common feature in botanical gardens or as indoor plants. Few palms tolerate severe cold, however, and the majority of the species are tropical or subtropical. The three most cold-tolerant species are Trachycarpus fortunei, native to eastern Asia, and Rhapidophyllum hystrix and Sabal minor, both native to the southeastern United States. For more details, see hardy palms.
The southeastern state of South Carolina is nicknamed the Palmetto State after the Cabbage Palmetto, logs from which were used to build the fort at Fort Moultrie. During the American Revolutionary War they were invaluable to those defending the fort, because their spongy wood absorbed or deflected the British cannonballs. Some palms can be grown as far north as Maryland, Arkansas, southern Ohio and even up along the Pacific coast to Oregon, Washington and British Columbia, where ocean winds have a warming effect. There have even been known species of transplanted palms that have survived as far north as Devon. The Chinese Trachycarpus fortunei is being grown experimentally on the Faroe Islands at 62°N, with young plants doing well so far.
5.0 GERMINATION
Decide Which Seeds To Germinate
• Have a plan for what you are trying to accomplish, and select your seeds accordingly. Palm tree care begins with picking the right species to grow.
• Select species that will do well in your locality.
• Obtain the appropriate number of seeds for your needs.
• Always identify the seeds by species, source, and date when you collect or receive them. Dont throw everything into a bag to figure out later. Youll undoubtedly forget what is what.
• Be aware that there are regulations on the importing and international sale and trade of seeds. Often, phytosanitary permits are needed. Sometimes, with Endangered Species, a CITES permit might be required, even on species of palms. Assume it is necessary for cycad seeds and refer to specific CITES laws.
Get High Quality Seeds
• Best results usually come from fresh seeds collected by the grower himself. Only collect ripe seeds. Avoid immature, green seeds. Ripe seeds have mature fruit color and are ready to drop.
• If purchased, obtain seeds from a reputable dealer. An unscrupulous broker may intentionally or unwittingly give seeds a false or a more sellable species name to facilitate the sale. You will be unaware of this problem for some time. Such mistakes have led to great confusions with species of palm trees, especially with recent introductions from Madagascar.
• When you find a good seed broker, stick with him. He wants your repeat business.
• If purchased, inquire about the age of the seeds. Seeds from distant lands can take months to get into your hands. Except for his source, a seed broker will usually share information he knows.
• Poor germination results are usually the result of old or poor quality seeds.
• Obtain a USDA Import permit if you plan to import seeds internationally
Clean Off The Seed's Fruit
• Before your seeds are shipped to you, insist the fruit is removed to avoid confiscation by the USDA.
• Likewise, clean fruit from seeds you are bringing into your state or into the country.
• Rot problems may develop when sewing seeds if fruit is left on the seed. Dry the seeds prior to shipping or transport.
• Wear gloves when cleaning fruit on some species such as Caryota and Arenga.
• Seeds germinate better with the fruit off and there are less fungal problems.
• Fruit contains certain germination inhibitors. Cleaning of the fruit eliminates these inhibitors.
Checking Authenticity Of The Seeds
• This is one of the hardest things to do. You want to verify that the seeds received are truly what you thought you were purchasing. The same applies to seeds collected in habitat.
• In habitat, either at the time or later, try your best to identify the species collected.
• On shipped seeds, utilize references with seed morphology such as "Genera Palmerum" to verify authenticity of the seed you have received.
Checking Viability Of Seeds Obtained
• Depending on the species, seed viability varies from several weeks to six to twelve months. Small seeds typically have shorter duration of viability. Understory and more tropical seeds likewise have a shorter time from ripening to loss of viability. As anticipated, seeds that are from more arid habitats typically have longer viability windows.
• Check the seeds general appearance. Good seeds look fresher and feel heavier in the hand. Old seeds look desiccated and feel lighter.
• Check seed size. If you know what a seed is should look like and seeds received are much smaller, either you have bad seeds or another species.
• Pinch Test: Viable seeds never collapse when pinched between your thumb and forefinger. If the seeds do collapse, they are either immature seeds or they are old, desiccated seeds with internal air cavities from rot to the embryo or endocarp. Discard such seeds.
• Float Test: Viable seeds invariably sink to the bottom when soaked in water and bad seeds float for the reasons described above. This is providing that any outer fibrous covering layer of the seed has been removed. There are a few exceptions, but floaters usually do not germinate.
• Cutting a representative seed in half may reveal any early rot or desiccation problems.
Soaking The Seeds
• Seeds of palm trees recently cleaned of their ripe, supple fruit do not need to be soaked.
• Seeds shipped internationally or from a broker invariably benefit from a 24 hour soak in clean water. Some growers advocate chlorine free water for soaking.
• Soaking prior to sewing gives the seed a jump start and helps revitalize older seeds. With short-lived embryo viability time-windows, such rehydration may be the difference between success and failure.
• Soaking may be eliminated if one is utilizing an effective automatic and intermittent misting system. With most conventional techniques, however, soaking will prove advantageous.
• Soaking may protect the seed from future inadvertent under-watering after sewing.
• Over-soaking will produce bubbles from fermentation of fruit remaining on the seeds. If longer soaking periods are used, change the water daily.
This report will briefly present the structure and physical construction of palm trees, biologically called Arecaceae. Furthermore the reproduction and various aspects of palm trees will be explained.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Morphology of Palm Trees
2.1 Palm Tree – Stems
2.2 Palm Tree Types – Leaves Information
2.3 Palm Tree – Flowers
2.4 Palm Tree – Fruit
2.5 Palm Tree – Seeds
3.0 Range and Habitat
4.0 Uses and Cultivation
5.0 Germination
6.0 Conclusion
7.0 Reference List
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this report is to give an insight into the genus of Arecaceae and to specify and evaluate the development as well as the physical structure, differences and reproduction of palm trees, with the help of various internet sources.
palm (päm)
n.
1. Any of various chiefly tropical evergreen trees, shrubs, or woody vines of the family Palmae (or Arecaceae), characteristically having unbranched trunks with a crown of large pinnate or palmate leaves having conspicuous parallel venation.
This is the definition of a palm tree as it can be found within a dictionary.
Arecaceae or Palmae (also known by the name Palmaceae, which is considered taxonomically invalid, or by the common name palm tree), the palm family, is a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates. Most palms are distinguished by their large, compound, evergreen leaves arranged at the top of an unbranched stem. However, many palms are exceptions to this statement, and palms in fact exhibit an enormous diversity in physical characteristics. As well as being morphologically diverse, palms also inhabit nearly every type of habitat within their range, from rainforests to deserts.
Palms are among the best known and extensively cultivated plant families. They have been important to humans throughout much of history. Many common products and foods are derived from palms, and palms are also widely used in landscaping for their exotic appearance, making them one of the most economically important plants. In many historical cultures, palms were symbols for such ideas as victory, peace, and fertility. Today, palms remain a popular symbol for the tropics and vacations.
Arecaceae is the first modern family of monocots that is clearly represented in the fossil record. Palms first appear in the fossil record around 80 million years ago, during the late Cretaceous Period. The first modern species, such as Nypa fruticans and Acrocomia aculeata, appeared 69-70 million years ago, confirmed by fossil Nypa pollen dated to 70 million years ago. Palms appear to have undergone an early period of adaptive radiation. By 60 million years ago, many of the modern, specialized genera of palms appeared and became widespread and common, much more widespread than their range today. Because palms separated from the monocots earlier than other families, they developed more intrafamilial specialization and diversity. By tracing back these diverse characteristics of palms to the basic structures of monocots, palms may be valuable in studying monocot evolution.Evidence can also be found in samples of petrified palmwood.
80 million years has seen many species of palm evolve. As environmental changes happened, so many different species of palms evolved in different ways. From turbulent, volcanic landscapes to humid, tropical jungles and even in the cooler regions and at altitude with seasonal snow fall. With over 2800 known species, and more being discovered from time to time, palms have adapted and established well on this earth.
The method of distribution of palms across the planet is varied. Some palm seeds travel in the stomachs of birds and other animals in order to begin life further afield from their parent, in fact many rely on this particularly acidic method of accommodation in order to break down the seed wall for germination. Some palms establish themselves due to the export of fruit, for example dates, when the discarded seeds germinate and grow. The coconut has perfected a particularly effective method by means of falling into the sea and being taken by the ocean currents to distant shores, moving further afield with each generation, until now being established on every tropical coastline in the world. Another more recent method is the international trade of plants and seeds by collectors and commercial growers for prized garden and house plants.
2.0 MORPHOLOGY OF PALM TREES
Palms, for identification purposes. can be divided into two major groups: those that have palmate or fan-shaped leaves; and those that have pinnate, or feather-shaped leaves. The palmate-leaved species are characterized by a leaf structure in which all leaf segments arise from a single point, similar to the structure of a human hand. Pinnate leaves are characterized by leaves along each side of a central axis, similar in design to that of a feather.
Palm Tree (Palmaceae) have been termed the princes of the vegetable kingdom. Neither the anatomy of the Palms stems nor the conformation of Palm Tree flowers, however, entitles them to any such high position in the vegetable hierarchy. Palm Tree stems are not more complicated in structure than those of the common butcher’s broom (Ruscus); their flowers are for the most part as simple as those of a rush (Juncus). The order Palmaceae is characterized among monocotyledonous plants by the presence of an unbranched stem bearing a tuft of leaves at the extremity only, or with the leaves scattered; these leaves, often gigantic in size, being usually firm in texture and branching in a pinnate or palmate fashion. The flowers are borne on simple or branching spikes, very generally protected by a spathe or spathes, and each consists typically of a perianth of six greenish, somewhat inconspicuous segments in two rows, with six stamens, or pistil of 1-3 carpel's, each with a single ovule and a succulent or dry fruit. The seed consists almost exclusively of endosperm, Upper portion of Coconut seed, albumen in a cavity in showing the embryo, embedded in endosperm, which is lodged the relatively very minute embryo. These are the general characteristics by which this very well-defined order may be discriminated, but, in a group containing considerably more than a thousand species, Palm Tree deviations from the general plan of structure occur with some frequency. As the characteristic appearances of palms depend to a large extent upon these modifications, some of the more important among them may briefly be noticed.
2.1 PALM TREE – STEMS
Taking the stem first, we may mention that it is in very many palms relatively tall, erect, unbranched, regularly cylindrical, or dilated below so as to form an elongated cone, either smooth, or covered with the projecting remnants of the former Palms leaves, or marked with circular scars indicating the position of those leaves which have now fallen away. It varies in. diameter from the thickness of a reed (as in Chamaedorea) to a sturdy pillar-like structure as seen in the date-palm, Palmyra palm or Talipot. In other cases the very slender Palm Tree stem is prostrate, scandent by means of formidable hooked prickles which, by enabling the plant to support itself on. The branches of neighboring Palms, also permit the stem to grow to a very great length and so to expose the foliage to the light and air above the tree-tops of the dense forests the Palm Tree grows in, as in the genus Calamus, the Rattan or Cane palms. In some few instances the trunk, or that portion of it which is above ground, is so short that the Palm Tree is in a loose way called “ stemless “ or “ acaulescent,” as in Geonoma, and as happens sometimes in the only species found in a wild state in Europe, Chamaerops humus. The vegetable ivory (Phytelephas) of equatorial America has a very short thick stem bearing a tall cluster of leaves which appears to rise from the ground. In many Palm Tree species the trunk is covered with a dense network of stiff fibers, often compacted together at the free ends into spines. This fibrous material, which is so valuable for cordage, consists of the fibrous tissue of the leafstalk, which in these cases persists after the decay of the softer portions. It is very characteristic of some palms to produce from the base of the stem a series of adventitious roots which gradually thrust themselves into the soil and serve to steady the Palm tree and prevent its overthrow by the wind. The underground stem of some species, e.g. of Calamus, is a rhizome, or root-stock, lengthening in a more or less horizontal manner by the development of the terminal bud, and sending up lateral branches like suckers from the root-stock, which form dense thickets of cane-like stems. The branching of the Palm Tree stem above ground is unusual, except in the case of the Doum palm of Egypt (Hyphaene) , where the stem forks, often repeatedly; this is due to the development of a branch to an equal strength with the main stem. In other cases branching, when present, is probably the result of some injury to the terminal bud at the top of the stem, in consequence of which buds sprout out from below the apex. The internal structure of the Palm Tree stem does not differ fundamentally from that-of a typical monocotyledonous stem, the taller, harder trunks owing their hardness not only to the fibrous or woody skeleton but also to the fact that, as growth goes on, the originally soft cellular ground tissue through which the fibers run becomes hardened by the deposit of woody matter within the cells, so that ultimately the cellular portions of the Palm Tree become as hard as the woody fibrous tissue.2.2 PALM TREE TYPES - LEAVES INFORMATION
The leaves of the Palms are either arranged at more or less distant intervals along the stem, as in the canes, or are approximated in tufts at the end of the stem, thus forming those noble crowns of foliage which are so closely associated with the general idea of a palm. In the young condition, while still unfolded, these Palm leaves, with the succulent end of the stem from which they arise, form “the cabbage,” which in some Palm species is highly esteemed as an article of food.The adult Palms leaf generally presents a sheathing base tapering upwards into the stalk or petiole, and this again bearing the lamina or blade. The sheath and the petiole very often bear stout spines, as in the rattan palms and when, in course of time, the upper parts of the leaf decay and fall off, the base of thePalms leaf-stalk and sheath often remain, either entirely or in their fibrous portions only, which latter constitute the investment to the Palms stem already mentioned. In size the leaves vary within very wide limits, some being only a few inches in extent, while those of the noble Carycta I , may be measured in tens of feet. In form the Palm Tree leaves are very rarely simple; usually they are more or less divided, sometimes, as in Caryota, extremely so. In Palm tree species of Geonoma, Vers chaffeltia and some others, the leaf splits into two divisions at the apex and not elsewhere; but more usually the leaves branch regularly. The form of the segments is generally more or less linear, b
ut a very distinct appearance is given by the broad wedge-shaped leaflets of such palms as Caryotct, Martinezia or Mauritia. These forms run one into another by transitional gradations; and even in the same palm tree the form of the leaf is often very different at different stages of its growth, so that it is a difficult matter to name correctly seedling or juvenile palms in the condition in which we generally meet with them in the nurseries, or even to foresee what the future development of the Palms is likely to be. Like the other parts of the plant, the leaves are sometimes invested with hairs or spines; and, in some instances, as in the magnificent Ceroxylon andicola, the under surface is of a glaucous white or bluish color, from a coating of wax.2.3 PALM TREE – FLOWERS
The inflorescence of the palm tree consists generally of a fleshy spike, either simple or much branched, studded with numerous, sometimes extremely numerous, flowers, and enveloped by one or more sheathing bracts called “spathes“. These parts may be small, or they may attain relatively enormous dimensions, hanging down from amid the Palm Tree crown of foliage like huge tresses, and adding greatly to the noble effect of the tree's leaves. In some cases, as in the Talipot palm, the tree only flowers once; it grows for many years until it has become a large Palms then develops a huge inflorescence, and after the fruit has ripened, the Palm tree dies.The individual Palms flowers are usually small (figs. 3, 6), greenish and insignificant; their general structure has been mentioned already. Modifications from the Palm Tree typical structure arise from difference of texture, and specially from suppression of parts, in consequence of which the Palm flowers are very generally unisexual, though the flowers of the two sexes are generally produced on the same Palm tree (monoecious), not indeed always in the same season, for a Palm tree in one year may produce all male flowers and in the next all female flowers. Sometimes the Palms flowers are modified by an increase in the number of parts; thus the usually six stamens may be represented by I2’to 24 or even by hundreds. The carpel's are usually three in number, and more or less combined; but they may be free, and their number may be reduced to two or even one. In any case each carpel contains but a single ovule.
Owing to the sexual arrangements before mentioned for the Palms, the pollen has to be transported by the agency of the wind or of insects to the Palm Tree's female flowers. This is facilitated sometimes by the elastic movements of the stamens and anthers, which liberate the pollen so freely at certain times that travelers speak of the date palms of Egypt (Phoenix dactylifera) being at daybreak hidden in a mist of pollen grains. In other Palm tree cases fertilization is effected by the agency of man, who removes the male flowers and scatters the pollen over the fruit-bearing trees. This practice has been followed in the case of the date from time immemorial; and it afforded one of the earliest and most irrefragable proofs by means of which the sexuality of plants was finally established. In the course of ripening of the fruit two of the carpel's with their ovules may become absorbed, as in the coco-nut, the fruit of which contains only one seed though the three carpel's are indicated by the three longitudinal sutures and by the presence of three germ-pores on the hard endocarp.2.4 PALM TREE – FRUIT
The Palms fruit is various in form, size and character; sometimes, as in the common date from a Palm Tree is a berry with a fleshy rind enclosing a hard stony kernel, the true seed; the fruit of Areca is similar; sometimes it is a kind of drupe as in Acrccomia, or the coconut, Cocos nucif era, where the fibrous central portion investing the hard shell corresponds to the fleshy portion of a plum or cherry, while the shell or nut corresponds to the stone of stone-fruits, the seed being the kernel. In Borassus the three seeds are each enclosed in a separate chamber formed by the stony endocarp. Sometimes, as in the Palm Tree species of Metroxylon, Raphia, and Daemonorops, the Palms fruit is covered with hard, pointed, reflexed shining scales, which give the Palm a very remarkable appearance.2.5 PALM TREE - SEEDS
The Palm tree seeds show a corresponding variety in size and shape, but always consist of a mass of Palm endosperm, in which is embedded a relatively very minute embryo. The hard stone of the date palm is the endosperm, the white oily flesh of the coco-nut is the same substance in a softer condition; the so-called “vegetable ivory” is derived from the endosperm of Phytelephas. In some Palms genera the inner seed coat becomes thickened along the course of the vascular bundles and growing into the endosperm produces the characteristic appearance in section known as ruminate—this is well shown in the Areca nut.3.0 RANGE AND HABITAT
The order (Palm Tree) is mainly tropical, but with some Palms in warm temperate regions. Chamaerops humilis is a native of the Mediterranean region, and the date-palm yields fruit in southern Europe as far north as 38° N. latitude. In eastern Asia the Palms, like other tropical families, extend along the coast reaching Korea and the south of Japan. In America a few small genera occur in the southern United States and California; and in South America the southern limit is reached in the Chilean genus Juhaea (the Chile coco-nut) at 37° S. latitude. The great centers of distribution for Palm Trees are tropical America and tropical Asia; tropical Africa contains only 2 genera, though some of the species, like the Doum Palm Tree (Hyphaene thebaica) and the Deleb or Palmyra palm tree(Borassusfiabellifer) have a wide distribution. With three exceptions Old and New World forms are distinct—the coco-nut (Cocos nucifera) is widely distributed on the coasts of tropical Africa, in India and the South Seas, the other species of the genus Palm are confined to the western hemisphere. The oil palm tree (Elaeis guineensis) is a native of west tropical Africa, the other Palm Tree species of the genus is tropical American. Raphia has also species in both tropical Africa and tropical America.
Their diversity is highest in wet, lowland tropical forests, especially in ecological "hotspots" such as Madagascar, which has more endemic palms than all of Africa. Colombia may have the highest number of palm species in one country.It is estimated that only 130 palm species grow naturally beyond the tropics, mostly in the subtropics. The northernmost native palm is Chamaerops humilis, which reaches 44°N latitude in southern France. The southernmost palm is the Rhopalostylis sapida, which reaches 44°S on the Chatham Islands where an oceanic climate prevails. Palms grow well under cultivation as far north as Scotland and British Columbia (Vancouver/ Vancouver Island).
Palms inhabit a variety of ecosystems. More than two thirds of palm species live in tropical forests, where some species grow tall enough to form part of the canopy and shorter ones form part of the understory. Some species form pure stands in areas with poor drainage or regular flooding, including Raphia hookeri which is common in coastal freshwater swamps in West Africa. Other palms live in tropical mountain habitats above 1000 meters, such as those in the genus Ceroxylon native to the Andes. Palms may also live in grasslands and scrublands, usually associated with a water source, and in desert oases such as the Date Palm. A few palms are adapted to extremely basic lime soils, while others are similarly adapted to very acidic serpentine soils.
4.0 USES AND CULTIVATION
Human use of palms is as old or older than human civilization itself, starting with the cultivation of the Date Palm by Mesopotamians and other Middle Eastern peoples 5000 years or more ago.[14] Date wood, pits for storing dates, and other remains of the Date Palm have been found in Mesopotamian sites. The Date Palm had a tremendous effect on the history of the Middle East.An indication of the importance of Palms is that they are mentioned more than 30 times in the Bible, and at least 22 times in the Quran.
Fruit of the Date Palm Phoenix dactylifera
Arecaceae has great economic importance including coconut products, oils, dates, palm syrup, ivory nuts, carnauba wax, rattan cane, raffia and palm wood.
The type member of Arecaceae is the Areca palm, the fruit of which, the betel nut, is chewed with the betel leaf for intoxicating effects. Also belonging to the family of the Arecaceae are the Date Palm, harvested for its edible fruit; Rattans, whose stems are used extensively in furniture and baskets; and the Coconut. Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil produced by the oil palms in the genus Elaeis. Several species are harvested for heart of palm, a vegetable eaten in salads. Palm sap is sometimes fermented to produce palm wine or toddy, an alcoholic beverage common in parts of Africa, India, and the Philippines. The Palm Sunday festival uses palm leaves, usually from the Date Palm, to commemorate Jesus' entry to Jerusalem, when palm leaves were strewn on the road before him. Dragon's blood, a red resin used traditionally in medicine, varnish, and dyes, may be obtained from the fruit of Daemonorops species. Coir is a coarse water-resistant fiber extracted from the outer shell of coconuts, used in doormats, brushes, mattresses, and ropes. Some indigenous groups living in palm-rich areas use palms to make many of their necessary items and food. Sago, for example, a starch made from the pith of the trunk of the Sago Palm Metroxylon sagu, is a major staple food for lowland peoples of New Guinea and the Moluccas. Palm leaves are also valuable to some peoples as a material for thatching or clothing.
Washingtonia robusta trees line Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica, California.
Today, palms are valuable as ornamental plants and are often grown along streets in tropical and subtropical cities, and also along the Mediterranean coast in Europe. Farther north, palms are a common feature in botanical gardens or as indoor plants. Few palms tolerate severe cold, however, and the majority of the species are tropical or subtropical. The three most cold-tolerant species are Trachycarpus fortunei, native to eastern Asia, and Rhapidophyllum hystrix and Sabal minor, both native to the southeastern United States. For more details, see hardy palms.
The southeastern state of South Carolina is nicknamed the Palmetto State after the Cabbage Palmetto, logs from which were used to build the fort at Fort Moultrie. During the American Revolutionary War they were invaluable to those defending the fort, because their spongy wood absorbed or deflected the British cannonballs. Some palms can be grown as far north as Maryland, Arkansas, southern Ohio and even up along the Pacific coast to Oregon, Washington and British Columbia, where ocean winds have a warming effect. There have even been known species of transplanted palms that have survived as far north as Devon. The Chinese Trachycarpus fortunei is being grown experimentally on the Faroe Islands at 62°N, with young plants doing well so far.
5.0 GERMINATION
Decide Which Seeds To Germinate
• Have a plan for what you are trying to accomplish, and select your seeds accordingly. Palm tree care begins with picking the right species to grow.
• Select species that will do well in your locality.
• Obtain the appropriate number of seeds for your needs.
• Always identify the seeds by species, source, and date when you collect or receive them. Dont throw everything into a bag to figure out later. Youll undoubtedly forget what is what.
• Be aware that there are regulations on the importing and international sale and trade of seeds. Often, phytosanitary permits are needed. Sometimes, with Endangered Species, a CITES permit might be required, even on species of palms. Assume it is necessary for cycad seeds and refer to specific CITES laws.
Get High Quality Seeds
• Best results usually come from fresh seeds collected by the grower himself. Only collect ripe seeds. Avoid immature, green seeds. Ripe seeds have mature fruit color and are ready to drop.
• If purchased, obtain seeds from a reputable dealer. An unscrupulous broker may intentionally or unwittingly give seeds a false or a more sellable species name to facilitate the sale. You will be unaware of this problem for some time. Such mistakes have led to great confusions with species of palm trees, especially with recent introductions from Madagascar.
• When you find a good seed broker, stick with him. He wants your repeat business.
• If purchased, inquire about the age of the seeds. Seeds from distant lands can take months to get into your hands. Except for his source, a seed broker will usually share information he knows.
• Poor germination results are usually the result of old or poor quality seeds.
• Obtain a USDA Import permit if you plan to import seeds internationally
Clean Off The Seed's Fruit
• Before your seeds are shipped to you, insist the fruit is removed to avoid confiscation by the USDA.• Likewise, clean fruit from seeds you are bringing into your state or into the country.
• Rot problems may develop when sewing seeds if fruit is left on the seed. Dry the seeds prior to shipping or transport.
• Wear gloves when cleaning fruit on some species such as Caryota and Arenga.
• Seeds germinate better with the fruit off and there are less fungal problems.
• Fruit contains certain germination inhibitors. Cleaning of the fruit eliminates these inhibitors.
Checking Authenticity Of The Seeds
• This is one of the hardest things to do. You want to verify that the seeds received are truly what you thought you were purchasing. The same applies to seeds collected in habitat.
• In habitat, either at the time or later, try your best to identify the species collected.
• On shipped seeds, utilize references with seed morphology such as "Genera Palmerum" to verify authenticity of the seed you have received.
Checking Viability Of Seeds Obtained
• Depending on the species, seed viability varies from several weeks to six to twelve months. Small seeds typically have shorter duration of viability. Understory and more tropical seeds likewise have a shorter time from ripening to loss of viability. As anticipated, seeds that are from more arid habitats typically have longer viability windows.
• Check the seeds general appearance. Good seeds look fresher and feel heavier in the hand. Old seeds look desiccated and feel lighter.
• Check seed size. If you know what a seed is should look like and seeds received are much smaller, either you have bad seeds or another species.
• Pinch Test: Viable seeds never collapse when pinched between your thumb and forefinger. If the seeds do collapse, they are either immature seeds or they are old, desiccated seeds with internal air cavities from rot to the embryo or endocarp. Discard such seeds.
• Float Test: Viable seeds invariably sink to the bottom when soaked in water and bad seeds float for the reasons described above. This is providing that any outer fibrous covering layer of the seed has been removed. There are a few exceptions, but floaters usually do not germinate.
• Cutting a representative seed in half may reveal any early rot or desiccation problems.
Soaking The Seeds
• Seeds of palm trees recently cleaned of their ripe, supple fruit do not need to be soaked.
• Seeds shipped internationally or from a broker invariably benefit from a 24 hour soak in clean water. Some growers advocate chlorine free water for soaking.
• Soaking prior to sewing gives the seed a jump start and helps revitalize older seeds. With short-lived embryo viability time-windows, such rehydration may be the difference between success and failure.
• Soaking may be eliminated if one is utilizing an effective automatic and intermittent misting system. With most conventional techniques, however, soaking will prove advantageous.
• Soaking may protect the seed from future inadvertent under-watering after sewing.
• Over-soaking will produce bubbles from fermentation of fruit remaining on the seeds. If longer soaking periods are used, change the water daily.
Germination Techniques: Community Pots Or Beds
• This is a method by which seeds are sewn in a container or bed, typically many seeds placed side by side in the germinating soil.
• Good for day to day observation and offers a grower the opportunity to remove seedlings at will.
• Advantages: Easy observation, erect seedlings, good air circulation, easy application of chemicals or fertilizer, application of bottom heat, and independent removal of seedlings as needed.
• Disadvantages: Somewhat more difficult to set up, potential for less heat or humidity, greater desiccation risk, chance for collateral contamination by fungus.
• Most frequently used technique by commercial growers.
Germination Techniques: "Baggie" Technique
• An easy technique of placing seeds with some slightly damp moss into a transparent plastic baggie and putting the baggie in a warm environment, such as near a water heater.
• Advantages: improved humidity, inexpensive, simple, space efficient, mobile, and good for small numbers of seeds
• Disadvantages: Poor visibility, twisted seedlings, potential for rapid fungal demise, lack of ventilation, inferior light, risk of under-hydration without warning, and need for timely removal when ready or one gets seedling spaghetti.
• Preferred technique by some hobbyists.
Specialized Germination Procedures
• This includes special procedures done to particular species of palm seeds to improve poor germination results from standard techniques. Although successful for a few species, in general these practices are never needed for most species. However, there are some special rules in palm tree care and germination.
• Plucking out the eye of a large coccoidal seed of species such as Jubaeopsis cafra. In skilled hands, this technique has been reported as successful.
• Utilizing very high heat for promoting germination of some genera such as Acrocomia and Lemurophoenix.
• Germination of Borassus species in extremely deep containers to have room for the large and deep root radical.
Germination Environment
• A temperature/humidity controlled greenhouse environment is ideal. This offers more heat, higher low temperatures, and more consistent humidity. There is also less risk of predators, weed contamination and weather-related problems.
• A simply constructed germination box made out of styrofoam with a plastic lid can be constructed cheaply and work well. It is ideal for the hobbyist. A simple warming device such as a light bulb can be utilized.
• If not utilizing a greenhouse or germination box, provide your seeds with the warmest area possible with good humidity and away from direct, hot sunlight.
• Humidity levels of 60 to 70% are ideal. Avoid overly damp locations or rot will develop.
Utilization Of Bottom Heat
• This is a system of utilizing artificial heat below the community pot to accomplish or accelerate germination.
• Commercial heating mats are available with thermostat controls.
• Advantageous for most species. Speeds germination. Is not inexpensive to use.
• Bottom heat requires a flat surface to function. It is best to shield loss of heat from the bottom of your mat. The distance from the seeds to bottom heat is critical. If too close it may overheat seeds.
• For species from colder natural habitats, bottom heat may diminish germination rates and be totally unnecessary.
• It will increases water requirements and/or frequency of misting.
• A thermometer should be utilized to verify optimal medium temperature.
• Be aware that old mats present a fire hazard. Mats should be replaced when they are old or show signs of deterioration.
Simple Outdoor Germination
• This means germinating outdoors in a small pot or the garden, nothing fancy. This can be successful with many species in you live in an area that gets adequate heat and not too cold. One should avoid direct sunlight on most species and keep the soil somewhat damp.
• One follows many of the guidelines outlined elsewhere in this article. This can be done simply under a bed of mulch in the garden.
• Outdoor germination can be successful on many of the cooler growing species of the genera Howea, Chamaedorea, Butia and Parajubaea.
• This is a method by which seeds are sewn in a container or bed, typically many seeds placed side by side in the germinating soil.
• Good for day to day observation and offers a grower the opportunity to remove seedlings at will.
• Advantages: Easy observation, erect seedlings, good air circulation, easy application of chemicals or fertilizer, application of bottom heat, and independent removal of seedlings as needed.
• Disadvantages: Somewhat more difficult to set up, potential for less heat or humidity, greater desiccation risk, chance for collateral contamination by fungus.
• Most frequently used technique by commercial growers.
Germination Techniques: "Baggie" Technique
• An easy technique of placing seeds with some slightly damp moss into a transparent plastic baggie and putting the baggie in a warm environment, such as near a water heater.
• Advantages: improved humidity, inexpensive, simple, space efficient, mobile, and good for small numbers of seeds
• Disadvantages: Poor visibility, twisted seedlings, potential for rapid fungal demise, lack of ventilation, inferior light, risk of under-hydration without warning, and need for timely removal when ready or one gets seedling spaghetti.
• Preferred technique by some hobbyists.
Specialized Germination Procedures
• This includes special procedures done to particular species of palm seeds to improve poor germination results from standard techniques. Although successful for a few species, in general these practices are never needed for most species. However, there are some special rules in palm tree care and germination.
• Plucking out the eye of a large coccoidal seed of species such as Jubaeopsis cafra. In skilled hands, this technique has been reported as successful.
• Utilizing very high heat for promoting germination of some genera such as Acrocomia and Lemurophoenix.
• Germination of Borassus species in extremely deep containers to have room for the large and deep root radical.
Germination Environment
• A temperature/humidity controlled greenhouse environment is ideal. This offers more heat, higher low temperatures, and more consistent humidity. There is also less risk of predators, weed contamination and weather-related problems.
• A simply constructed germination box made out of styrofoam with a plastic lid can be constructed cheaply and work well. It is ideal for the hobbyist. A simple warming device such as a light bulb can be utilized.
• If not utilizing a greenhouse or germination box, provide your seeds with the warmest area possible with good humidity and away from direct, hot sunlight.
• Humidity levels of 60 to 70% are ideal. Avoid overly damp locations or rot will develop.
Utilization Of Bottom Heat
• This is a system of utilizing artificial heat below the community pot to accomplish or accelerate germination.
• Commercial heating mats are available with thermostat controls.
• Advantageous for most species. Speeds germination. Is not inexpensive to use.
• Bottom heat requires a flat surface to function. It is best to shield loss of heat from the bottom of your mat. The distance from the seeds to bottom heat is critical. If too close it may overheat seeds.
• For species from colder natural habitats, bottom heat may diminish germination rates and be totally unnecessary.
• It will increases water requirements and/or frequency of misting.
• A thermometer should be utilized to verify optimal medium temperature.
• Be aware that old mats present a fire hazard. Mats should be replaced when they are old or show signs of deterioration.
Simple Outdoor Germination
• This means germinating outdoors in a small pot or the garden, nothing fancy. This can be successful with many species in you live in an area that gets adequate heat and not too cold. One should avoid direct sunlight on most species and keep the soil somewhat damp.• One follows many of the guidelines outlined elsewhere in this article. This can be done simply under a bed of mulch in the garden.
• Outdoor germination can be successful on many of the cooler growing species of the genera Howea, Chamaedorea, Butia and Parajubaea.
Germination Medium/Soil
• It must provide a root substrate, moisture, nutrients and aeration.
• It is ideally loose enough for easy penetration of germination radical.
• It should accept water easily and not dry out too quickly.
• There are various opinions on the ideal mix. The mix can be made by hand or purchased as germination mix. Typically used are mixtures of perlite and peat moss in a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio.
• Wetting agents are often added to medium to help with watering.
• Pure peat moss can be used but can turn into a hard block if ever allowed to fully dry out.
• Other mediums: Sphagnum moss, sand, shavings, etc.
6.0 CONCLUSION
This report has identified the morphology of palm trees in their distinctive parts, as well as it gives basic information on the habitat of palm trees, their use, cultivation and germination. Additionally the part of germination contains some further detailed information which easily could be used as a reference for enthusiastic palm growers as a guideline to successfully germinate and grow own palm trees at home.
7.0 REFERENCE LIST
Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arecaceae
Palmantics.com http://www.palmantics.com/palms/
Sunpalmtrees.com http://www.sunpalmtrees.com/About-Palm-Trees.htm
Junglemusic.net http://www.junglemusic.net/palmadvice/palms-seed-germination.htm
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