Roystonea

views updated

Roystonea (royal palms; family Palmae) A genus of tall, solitary, elegant palms, whose trunks are often bulging. The leaves are pinnate, the crown-shaft prominent. The inflorescences are paniculate (see PANICLE), and held below the crown-shaft, twin male flowers flanking a female. The stigma is basal in the fruits. Several are very widely cultivated. There are 6 species, found in southern Florida, the Caribbean region, and northern S. America.

More From encyclopedia.com