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{{SPlantbox
|familia=Arecaceae
|genus=Roystonea
|common_name=Royal palm
|habit=palm-cycad
|lifespan=perennial
|features=evergreen, foliage
|Temp Metric=°F
|jumpin=If this plant info box on watering; zones; height; etc. is mostly empty you can click on the edit tab and fill in the blanks!
|image=Roystonea_regia.jpg
|image_width=180
|image_caption=Roystonea_regia
}}
'''''Roystonea''''' is a [[genus]] of 10 [[species]] of [[monoecious]] [[Arecaceae|palms]], native to the [[Caribbean Islands]], and the adjacent coasts of [[Florida]], [[Central America|Central]] and [[South America]]. Commonly known as the '''royal palms''', the genus was named for [[Roy Stone]], a [[U.S. Army]] [[engineer]]. It contains some of the most recognizable and commonly cultivated palms in tropical and subtropical regions.
[[File:Roystonea dunlapiana8.jpg|thumb|left|Detail of the base of the stem of ''[[Roystonea dunlapiana]]'' showing columnar stem and leaf scars.]]
''Roystonea'' is a genus of large, unarmed, single-stemmed palms with [[pinnate]] leaves. The large stature and striking appearance of a ''Roystonea'' palm makes it a notable aspect of the landscape. The stems, which were compared to stone columns by [[Louis Agassiz|Louis]] and [[Elizabeth Cabot Agassiz|Elizabeth Agassiz]] in 1868, are smooth and columnar, although the trunks of ''[[Roystonea altissima|R. altissima]]'' and ''[[Roystonea maisiana|R. maisiana]]'' are more slender than those of typical royal palms. Stems often are swollen and bulging along portions of their length, which may reflect years where growing conditions were better or worse than average. Leaf scars are often prominent along the stem, especially in young, rapidly-growing individuals. Stem colour ranges from grey-white to grey-brown except in ''[[Roystonea violacea|R. violacea]]'' which have violet-brown or mauve stems. The largest royal palm, ''[[Roystonea oleracea|R. oleracea]]'', reaches heights of {{convert|40|m}}, but most species are in the {{convert|15|to|20|m|abbr=on}} range.<ref name = Zona>{{cite journal | quotes = no | last = Zona | first = Scott | year = 1996 | month = December | title = Roystonea (Arecaceae: Arecoideae) | journal = Flora Neotropica | volume = 71 |pages = 1–35 }}</ref>
[[File:Royal Palm Leaf Sheath.jpg|thumb|right |Close up of crown of ''[[Roystonea regia]]'' showing smooth tapering leaf sheath and fresh leaf scars, [[Kolkata, India]] ]]
''Roystonea'' leaves consist of a sheathing leaf base, a [[petiole]], and a [[rachis]]. The leaf base forms a distinctive green sheath around the uppermost portion of the trunk. Known as the [[crownshaft]], this sheath extends {{convert|1.4|-|2|m}} down the trunk. The petiole connects the lead base with the rachis. Zona only reported petiole lengths for three of the 10 species, ranging from {{convert|20|to|100|cm|0}}. The rachis is pinnately divided and ranges from {{convert|3.2|to|5.8|m|abbr=on}} long. The leaf segments themselves range in length from {{convert|60|to|79|cm|abbr=on}} in ''R. altissima'' up to as much as {{convert|132|cm|abbr=on}} in ''[[Roystonea lenis|R. lenis]]''. They are arranged in two or three planes along the rachis. Many authors have reported that the leaves ''R. oleracea'' are arranged in a single plane, but American botanist [[Scott Zona]] reported that this is not the case.<ref name = Zona/>
These plants have the ability to easily release their leaves in strong winds, a supposed adaption serving to prevent toppling during [[hurricanes]]. [[Inflorescences]] occur beneath the crownshaft, emerging from a narrow, horn-shaped [[bract]]. The [[flowers]] on the branched [[panicles]] are usually white, [[unisexual]], and contain both sexes. The [[fruit]] is an oblong or globose [[drupe]] 1-2 cm long and deep purple when ripe.<ref name=riffle>Riffle, Robert L. and Craft, Paul (2003) ''An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms''. Portland: Timber Press. (Page 441) ISBN 0881925586 / ISBN 978-0881925586</ref>
Some species so closely resemble one another that scientific differentiation is by inflorescence detail; flower size, color, etc.
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{{Inc|
Oreodoxa (Greek, mountain glory"). Palmaceae. The royal palm, cabbage palm, and a very few others, from Florida to northern South America, comprising the finest species of palms in cultivation; pinnate- leaved, with tall columnar boles.
Oreodoxa (Greek, mountain glory"). Palmaceae. The royal palm, cabbage palm, and a very few others, from Florida to northern South America, comprising the finest species of palms in cultivation; pinnate- leaved, with tall columnar boles.
The two well-known Oreodoxas are the royal palm (O. regia) and the cabbage palm (O. oleracea). Both are stately trees. While it is often difficult to distinguish immature specimens of the royal and cabbage palms, in age they are distinct. O. regia has staminate flowers which, in bud, entirely inclose the stamens, while in O. oleracea the stamens protrude before the flower opens. In the latter species, also, the fruit is nearly twice as long as wide, while in O. regia it is not more than a third longer than wide. The character of trunk swelling, usually applied as a distinguishing mark, is likely to break down in some wild plants. The royal palm is one of the grandest of pinnate palms, growing to a height of over 100 feet with immense plumy feathery leaves and a straight white trunk. It is a magnificent tree for extreme southern Florida for avenue planting, and is valuable in all sizes, but especially when 4 feet or over in height. The form of it native in Florida is by some regarded as a distinct species. The cabbage palm is cut down when three years old for the central leaves, which are tender and edible.
The two well-known Oreodoxas are the royal palm (O. regia) and the cabbage palm (O. oleracea). Both are stately trees. While it is often difficult to distinguish immature specimens of the royal and cabbage palms, in age they are distinct. O. regia has staminate flowers which, in bud, entirely inclose the stamens, while in O. oleracea the stamens protrude before the flower opens. In the latter species, also, the fruit is nearly twice as long as wide, while in O. regia it is not more than a third longer than wide. The character of trunk swelling, usually applied as a distinguishing mark, is likely to break down in some wild plants. The royal palm is one of the grandest of pinnate palms, growing to a height of over 100 feet with immense plumy feathery leaves and a straight white trunk. It is a magnificent tree for extreme southern Florida for avenue planting, and is valuable in all sizes, but especially when 4 feet or over in height. The form of it native in Florida is by some regarded as a distinct species. The cabbage palm is cut down when three years old for the central leaves, which are tender and edible.
In southern California, the royal palm lives for years but without attaining any size, and is therefore not accounted a success there. Because of the original error in assigning the West Indian royal palms to Oreodoxa of Martius, which itself is untenable, the names of these plants and their relatives are badly mixed.
In southern California, the royal palm lives for years but without attaining any size, and is therefore not accounted a success there. Because of the original error in assigning the West Indian royal palms to Oreodoxa of Martius, which itself is untenable, the names of these plants and their relatives are badly mixed.
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==Cultivation==
===Propagation===
===Pests and diseases===
==Species==
*''[[Roystonea altissima]]'' <small>([[Philip Miller|Mill.]]) [[Harold E. Moore|H.E.Moore]]</small>
*''[[Roystonea borinquena]]'' <small>O.F.Cook</small>
*''[[Roystonea dunlapiana]]'' <small>[[Paul H. Allen|P.H.Allen]]</small>
*''[[Roystonea lenis]]'' <small>[[Frère León|León]]</small>
*''[[Roystonea maisiana]]'' <small>([[Liberty Hyde Bailey|L.H.Bailey]]) [[Scott Zona|Zona]]</small>
*''[[Roystonea oleracea]]'' <small>([[Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin|Jacq.]]) O.F.Cook</small>
*''[[Roystonea princeps]]'' <small>([[Odoardo Beccari|Becc.]]) [[Max Burret|Burret]]</small>
*''[[Roystonea regia]]'' <small>([[Carl Sigismund Kunth|Kunth]]) O.F.Cook</small>
*''[[Roystonea stellata]]'' <small>León</small>
*''[[Roystonea violacea]]'' <small>León</small>
==Gallery==
<gallery perrow=5>
Image:Upload.png| photo 1
Image:Upload.png| photo 2
Image:Upload.png| photo 3
</gallery>
==References==
<references/>
*[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
<!--- xxxxx *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381 -->
<!--- xxxxx *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432 -->
<!--- xxxxx *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608 -->
==External links==
*{{wplink}}
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