Palmae

Abstract

Small, medium-sized, or large, solitary or clustered, armed or unarmed, hapaxanthic or pleonanthic, hermaphroditic, polygamous, monoecious, or dioecious plants. Stems “woody”, slender to massive, very short to very tall, creeping, subterranean, climbing, or erect, usually unbranched, rarely branching dichotomously, lacking cambium but sometimes increasing in diameter by primary growth, sometimes ventricose; internodes very short to elongate; leaf scars conspicuous or not; stilt roots present or absent, roots sometimes modified into spines. Leaves alternate, spirally arranged, rarely distichous or tristichous; sheath initially always tubular at the base, later frequently splitting, unarmed or armed with spines or prickles, glabrous or variously scaly or hairy, sometimes with a ligulelike appendage on either side of or in front of the petiole, sheaths sometimes forming a crownshaft; petiole usually present, terete, or variously adaxially channeled or