Copernicia

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Copernicia
Copernicia alba
Copernicia alba
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Arecales
Family: Arecaceae
Subfamily: Coryphoideae
Tribe: Corypheae
Genus: Copernicia
Mart.
Species

See text

Copernicia is a genus of 24 species of palms, native to South America and the Caribbean. They are fan palms (Arecaceae tribe Corypheae), with the leaves with a bare petiole terminating in a rounded fan of numerous leaflets. The species are small to medium-sized trees growing to 5-30 m tall, typically occurring close to streams and rivers in savanna habitats.

Species and hybrids[1]

The genus is named after the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus.

In some of the species, the leaves are coated with a thin layer of wax, known as carnauba wax.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Copernicia. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Retrieved on 2007-11-14.

[edit] External links