Phoenix acaulis – Dwarf Date Palm, Stemless Date Palm, Khajuri

Description

Phoenix acaulis, also known as dwarf date palm or stemless date palm, is a species of palm native to the Himalayan foothills of northern India, Bhutan, and Nepal. This palm is unique because it has a very short, bulbous stem that is usually located underground or barely above the surface, giving it a “stemless” appearance.

A slow-growing palm, P. acaulis grows as a cluster of stiff, gray-green leaves that can reach 1.5 meters in length. The leaves are pinnate, meaning they are feather-like, and have sharp spines at their base. The plant is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers grow on separate plants. The inconspicuous flowers are creamy white and emerge on short inflorescences at the base of the plant.

The fruit of the dwarf date palm is a small, obovoid drupe that is about 12-18 mm long. It ripens from green to a blue-black color. The fruit has a thin layer of flesh with a sweet flavor, but it is not very fleshy, more commonly consumed by animals. Inside, each fruit contains a single, large seed.