Date palm
A cultivated palm bearing sweet dates, emblematic of oasis agriculture.
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Phoenix dactylifera, commonly known as the date palm, is a flowering-plant species in the palm family Arecaceae. It is native to the region from the Gulf States to the Lower Indus Valley and is cultivated for its edible sweet fruit called dates. The species is widely cultivated across northern Africa, the Middle East, Australia, South and Southeast Asia, Portugal, Spain, coastal Mediterranean basin, and the desert regions of Southern California, and is naturalised in many tropical and subtropical regions worldwide.
Scientific classification
- CladeTracheophytes
- CladeAngiosperms
- CladeMonocots
- CladeCommelinids
- OrderArecales
- FamilyArecaceae
- GenusPhoenix
- SpeciesPhoenix dactylifera
Named by L.
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Date palm (CC BY-SA 4.0) · order, family and genus agree with WoRMS AphiaID 1492289 (CC BY 4.0)
How big is it?
Largest length in the source, 0.07 m, next to a 1.8 m person.
Diagram: drawn by Codexery, schematic shapes to scale (not a likeness). Length: Wikipedia: Date palm
Where the date palm has been recorded
Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (6,828 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 347 inland records left out (institution coordinates). 1 isolated far-off record not drawn.
Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain) · place coordinates: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Quick Facts
- Genus
- Phoenix
- Species
- dactylifera
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Date palms reach up to 30 metres in height, growing singly or in clumps with several stems from a single root system. The date palm is dioecious, with separate male and female plants, and sex determination occurs through an XY sex-determination system.
Dates are naturally wind-pollinated, but in traditional oasis horticulture and modern commercial orchards, they are entirely hand-pollinated. Manual pollination is done by skilled labourers on ladders or by use of a wind machine; in some areas, such as Iraq, the pollinator climbs the tree using a special climbing tool. A genomic study showed that domesticated date palm varieties from North Africa share large parts of their genome with Middle East date palms and the Cretan wild palms, P. theophrasti, as well as Indian wild palms, Phoenix sylvestris.
Reader's Guide
The date palm holds profound significance as a staple crop in arid and semi-arid regions, providing a nutritious fruit rich in sugar. Its cultivation is emblematic of oasis agriculture and highly symbolic in Christian and Jewish religions. The species is the type species of the genus Phoenix, which contains 12–19 species of wild date palms.
Modern commercial plantations rely on cuttings of heavily cropping cultivars, as only 50% of seedlings are female and fruit-bearing, and seedling dates are often smaller and of poorer quality. Major pests include the red palm beetle and the dubas bug. The date palm continues to be cultivated across northern Africa, the Middle East, Australia, South and Southeast Asia, Portugal, Spain, coastal Mediterranean basin, and the desert regions of Southern California, as well as in Sonora and Baja California in Mexico.
Also in the Codexery
More in Edible Fruits & Vegetables
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Date palm (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Classification: the source article's taxobox; order, family and genus checked against WoRMS, the World Register of Marine Species (CC BY 4.0).
- Occurrence records: GBIF (CC0 / CC BY). Basemap: Natural Earth (public domain).
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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