Elaeis guineensis Jacq.
| Kannada Name : | - |
| Common Name : | African oil palm |
| Family Name : | Arecaceae |
| Scientific Name : | Elaeis guineensis |
| Species Type : | Exotic |
| Phenology : | Evergreen |
| Conservation Status : | Least concern |
| Flowering Period : | All year |
| Fruiting Period : | All year |
| Origin : | West and South Africa |
Uses
Palm oil extracted from this tree is popular in West Africa and Malaysia for cooking. Palm wine is the delicious wine obtained by tapping the base of the immature inflorescence of the oil palm.
Description
Stem erect, up to 30 m tall. Trunk covered by remains of leaf bases when young. Crown massive, 40‐50 leaves arranged in several planes. Leaves pinnate, 8/13 phyllotaxis, 100‐150 leaflets on each side. Inflorescences either male or female, rarely both. Male flower with 3 chaffy sepals and 3 chaffy acute petals. Female flower accompanied by 2 abortive male flowers. Fruit broadly ellipsoid or ovoid, orange proximally and brown to blackish diatally, endocarp black.
