Thrinax radiata Lodd. ex Schult. & Schult.f.

 
  • Family : ARECACEAE
    (Palm Family)
  • Family (Hindi name) : NARIYAL FAMILY (नारियल फैमिली)
  • Family (as per The APG System IV) : Arecaceae
  • Synonym(s) : Coccothrinax radiata (Lodd. ex Schult. & Schult.f.) Sarg. ex K.Schum.; Coccothrinax martii (Griseb.) Becc.; Porothrinax pumilio H.Wendl. ex Griseb.; Thrinax aurata Kunth; Thrinax elegans Schult. & Schult.f.; Thrinax elegantissima Hook.f.; Thrinax ferruginea Lodd. ex Mart.; Thrinax floridana Sarg.; Thrinax gracilis Schult. & Schult.f.; Thrinax maritima Lodd. ex Mart.; Thrinax martii Griseb.; Thrinax mexicana Lodd. ex Mart.; Thrinax montana Lodd. ex Mart.; Thrinax pumilio Lodd. ex Schult. & Schult.f.; Thrinax wendlandiana Becc.
  • Species Name (as per The IPNI) : Thrinax radiata Lodd. ex Schult. & Schult.f.
  • Common name : Broom palm, Florida thatch palm, Thatch palm
  • Vernacular name :
    • Thudaippam panai (Tamil)
  • Habit : Tree
  • Habitat : Cultivated
  • Key identification features : Typically 10–20 ft, can reach up to 30–40 ft in rare; Trunk slender, 3-5 inches in diameter, grey, rough on mature trees, shaggy with matted fibers, old leaf bases in young individuals, base may have tight, protruding root mass; Leaves palmate, induplicate, clustered at top of the trunk, frond blade 3-5ft wide, petiole 2-3ft long, leaf segments upto 60 pleated, about 2.5ft long, 2inches wide, split and drooping at tip, adaxial side dark to medium green with yellow ribs, abaxial silvery gray to light green or yellowish, hastula prominent pointed , centre of the leaf, petiole base forked, persists on the trunk; Inflorescence branched, arching sprays, about 3-4ft long; Flowers small, white, bisexual, inconspicuous; Fruit drupe, round, 1.2cm diameter, white when ripe.
  • Flower, Fruit : February-April
  • Distribution :
    • Tamil Nadu : Most of the districts
  • Native : Bahamas, Belize, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Florida, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua
  • Exotic/Native : Exotic
  • World Distribution : S. Florida, SE. Mexico to Nicaragua, N. Caribbean
  • 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=Thrinax radiata
  • Citation : Sankara Rao, K., Deepak Kumar (2026). India Trees and Vegetation Types. Thrinax radiata. Downloaded on 3 October 2026.

Distribution District wise

India Distribution

World Distribution

GBIF Distribution

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