Rhapis

Plant Characteristics

Cultivation

Scientific Names

Read about Rhapis in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Rhapis (Greek, needle; alluding to the shape of the leaves or perhaps the awns of the corolla). Palmaceae, tribe Sabaleae. Fan palms of very distinct habit, being among the few palms that produce suckers at the base, thereby forming bushy clumps, Low palms, with leafy densely cespi-tose reedy sts. clothed with remains of the reticulate lf.-sheaths: lvs. alternate and terminal, submembranaceous, connate or semi- orbicular, irregularly and digitately 3- to many- parted; segms. linear, cuneate, or elliptical truncate, entire, dentate or lobed; nerves 3 to many; transverse veins conspicuous; rachis none; ligule very short, semicircular; petiole slender, biconvex, smooth or serrulate on the margins; sheath long, loosely fringed on the margin: spadices shorter than the lvs., slender-pedun- cled: rachis sheathed by deciduous bracts: branches spreading: spathes 2-3, incomplete, membranous: fls. yellow.—About 5 species, natives of China and Japan. This genus is distinguished from its near allies (for a list of which see Licuala) by the fls. being dioecious; corolla 3-toothed; anthers dehiscing extrorsely. The name Rhapis is commonly spelled and pronounced Raphis, but this is incorrect. They can be grown in temperate house with a night temperature of 55-60°. The soil should be good loam 3 parts, leaf-mold 1 part and sand 1 part. Prop, by imported seeds or by the freely produced suckers. Hardy in S. Calif, and S. Fla., and, in fact, the hardiest of all the palms with the exception of certain species of Sabal and Chamaerops. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

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References

• Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

External links

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