Phoenix sylvestris

Phoenix sylvestris
In West Bengal, India
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Arecales
Family: Arecaceae
Genus: Phoenix
Species:
P. sylvestris
Binomial name
Phoenix sylvestris
Synonyms[1]
  • Elate sylvestris L.
  • Elate versicolor Salisb.

Phoenix sylvestris (sylvestris - Latin, of the forest) also known as silver date palm, Indian date, sugar date palm or wild date palm,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the palm family native to southern Pakistan, most of India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh. It has been introduced to southeastern China, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Puerto Rico and the Leeward Islands.[1] Growing in plains and scrubland up to 1300 m above sea level, the fruit from this palm species is used to make wine and jelly. The sap is tapped and drunk fresh or fermented into toddy. The fresh sap is boiled to make palm jaggery in West Bengal state of India and Bangladesh.

Preparing to collect sap at Jessore, Bangladesh
  1. ^ a b c "Phoenix sylvestris". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Phoenix sylvestris". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 10 January 2017.