Elaeis Jacq.

Solitary, robust, pleonanthic, monoecious tree palms with pinnate leaves. Trunk erect or procumbent with tardily abscissing leaf-bases. Leaves large, with basal fibre-spines, and short acanthophylls developed from the midribs of the basalmost leaflets; leaflets numerous, inserted in one or more planes, reduplicate, with entire tips, single-fold except at the apex where sometimes compound (especially in juveniles), very rarely (as a monstrosity) all leaflets remaining joined together. Inflorescences usually ♂ or ♀, but sometimes mixed, branching to 1 order; prophyll and 1 large peduncular bract usually hidden among leaf-sheaths; peduncle rather short, bearing small sometimes spine-like bracts; rachillae crowded together, densely floriferous except at the spine-like tips. Male flowers solitary, partially sunken in pits, together with a membranous bracteole; sepals 3, free, imbricate; petals 3, free, imbricate or valvate; stamens 6, connate basally by their fleshy filaments to form a staminal tube; pistillode with 3 small lobes. Female flower much larger than the ♂, usually borne together with 2 abortive ♂ flowers making up a triad together with 2 bracteoles; sepals 3, free, imbricate; petals 3, free, imbricate except for the triangular valvate tips; staminodal ring very small, 6-toothed; gynoecium with 3 conspicuous, fleshy, partially fused stigmas and 3-locular ovary. Fruit with shining epicarp, oil-rich mesocarp and thick stony endocarp. Seed usually one only, covered in a thin integument; endosperm homogeneous, oil-rich, usually with a small central cavity; embryo apical next to one of the 3 endocarp pores (‘eyes’). Germination adjacent-ligular; eophyll simple.