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Roystonea regia at Collier-Seminole State Park, Florida | ||||||||||||
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Roystonea (Royal Palm) is a genus of 10-12 species of palms, native to tropical regions of Florida, the Caribbean, and the adjacent coasts of Central and South America. They are sometimes referred to as Bottle palms due to their shape. They are single-stemmed trees growing to 10-30 m tall with a trunk which may be thickened either at the base or the central portion, depending on the species. The leaves are pinnate, 3-7 m long with numerous (about 100) pinnae up to 1 m long and 2-4 cm broad; the leaves also have a distinctive green basal sheath extending 2-5 m down the trunk. The fruit is an oblong or globose drupe 1-2 cm long.
Royal palms are widely planted for decorative purposes throughout their native region, and elsewhere in the coastal tropics.
The name "Royal Palm" is widely used in Florida for the name of streets, real estate developments, and the village of Royal Palm Beach.
Royal Palms, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA | Royal Palm, Boca Raton, Florida |