| Borassus aethiopum | ||||||||||||||||
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| Borassus aethiopum Mart. |
Borassus aethiopum is a species of Borassus palm from Africa. In English it is variously referred to as African fan palm, African palmyra palm, deleb palm, ron palm, toddy palm, black rhun palm, ronier palm (from the French) and other names. It also has names in African languages. The tree has many uses; the fruit are edible, fibres can be obtained from the leaves and the wood (which is reputed to be termite-proof) can be used in construction . There are at least two varieties of this species: var. bagamojensis and var. senegalensis. They grow swelling, solitary trunks to 25 meters in height and 1 m in diameter at the base. The green, 3 meter leaves are carried on 2 meter petioles which are armed with spines. The crownshaft is spherical to 7 m wide, the leaves are round with stiff leaflets, segmented a third or half-way to the petiole. In male plants the flower is small and inconspicuous; females grow larger, 2 cm flowers which produce yellow to brown fruit resembling the coconut containing up to 3 seeds.
See also
- Great Mosque of Djenné (example of use of wood in construction)
External links
- Horticopia page on B. aethiopium
- PACSOF page on B. aethiopium
- La Plant Encyclo page on B. aethiopum (in French)
- Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database page on Borassus
- Borassus aethiopum in West African plants - A Photo Guide.
 African Palmyra Palm |
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 African Palmyra Palm |
 African Palmyra Palm |
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 Male flower |
 Female Fruit |
 Fruit |
 Seed of African Palmyra Palm |
 Seed |
 Young palm |
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