Pseudophoenix vinifera (Mart.) Becc.

 
  • Family : ARECACEAE
    (Palm Family)
  • Family (Hindi name) : NARIYAL FAMILY (नारियल फैमिली)
  • Family (as per The APG System IV) : Arecaceae
  • Synonym(s) : Aeria vinifera (Mart.) O.F.Cook; Cocos vinifera (Mart.) Mart.; Euterpe vinifera Mart.; Gaussia vinifera (Mart.) H.Wendl.; Pseudophoenix insignis O.F.Cook.
  • Species Name (as per The IPNI) : Pseudophoenix vinifera (Mart.) Becc.
  • Common name : Cherry palm, Wine palm
  • Vernacular name :
    • Cherry panai (Tamil)
  • Habit : Palm
  • Habitat : Cultivated
  • Key identification features : A single-stemmed palm, 5–15 m tall, stem strongly ventricose slender above the swelling, gray in color, and bearing prominent leaf scars when young; Leaves crown comprising about 24 leaves, spreading, 2-3m long, sheath 34-49cm long, green, covered with silvery gray scales near the apex, petiole 11-30cm long, rachis upto 270cm long, often margined with brown scales, leaf segments 115-131 per side of rachis, middle leaflet 53–83 cm long, 1.7–3.1 cm wide, lanceolate, with acuminate tip, grey-green, glaucous abaxially, glaucous to glossy adaxially, ramenta (brownish scale-like hairs) present on the abaxial midvein base; Inflorescence erect, ascending, or arching, branched to 2 or 3 orders, about 125 cm long, peduncle down-curved, extending well beyond leaf bases, glabrous; Prophyll 102-156cm long, about 8cm wide, with dark brown scales along the keels; Inner bract ~50cm long, scaled; Rachillae 12-19.5cm long, 1.5–2.6 mm in diameter, apically directed; Flowers pseudopedicel 2.5-4.4mm long, 0.8-1.5mm wide, green to glaucous; Calyx shallow triangular cup, 3.1-5.9mm in diameter, green to glaucous, hyaline margins; Petals ovate, 6.4–8.9 mm long, 4.6–5.8 mm wide, green, glaucous abaxially, spreading, with ~24 major veins; Stamens filaments 4.2-5.1mm long, connate at base, forming short staminal tube, anthers ovoid, 5.1-6.1mm long, 2.4–2.9 mm wide, yellow; Gynoecium in bisexual flowers 4.4-6.1mm long, 2.5-3.7mm in diameter, green; Pistillode present in staminate flowers; Fruit globose to slightly ovoid, 17.6–23.7 mm long, 16.2–20.2 mm in diameter.
  • Distribution :
    • Tamil Nadu : Most of the districts
  • Native : Dominican Republic, Haiti
  • Exotic/Native : Exotic
  • World Distribution : Haiti to SW. Dominican Republic
  • Literature :
    • Narasimhan, D. & Irwin, Sheeba. (2021). Flowering Plants of Tamil Nadu: A Compendium.
  • Read more :
  • Permalink : https://indiatrees-ces.iisc.ac.in/plants.php?name=Pseudophoenix vinifera
  • Citation : Sankara Rao, K., Deepak Kumar (2026). India Trees and Vegetation Types. Pseudophoenix vinifera. Downloaded on 3 October 2026.

Distribution District wise

India Distribution

World Distribution

GBIF Distribution

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