Date palm, Phoenix

Pasturelands where Brent geese (Branta bernicla) and Canada geese (.Branta canadensis) were grazing Iraqi date palm (Phoenix sp.) orchards... 

Daayf, F., El-Bellaj, M., El-Hassni, M., J Aiti, F., El-Hadrami, I. Elicitation of soluble phenolics in date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) callus by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. albedinis culture medium. Environ Exp Bot 2003 49 41-47. 

Dates ate the fmit of the date palm Phoenix daciylif-era) and have been in cultivation for at least 8,000 years. Most dates are grown in Asia Minor and North Africa with an annual production of 2,000,000 metric tens. In the United States dates are grown in Arizona and California. Dates contain 70% carbohydrate but little protein (2%) or fat (2.5%). They have long been an important source of nourishment for nomadic tribes of the Arab world. Dates are usually eaten fresh but can be made into paste. Dates are sometimes mixed with a variety of milk products which increases the protein content. 

II. Order Principles.—Palmew or Palm Family.—Tropical or subtropical shrubs, rarely trees, having unbranched trunks which are terminated by a crown of leaves, in the axils of which the flowers are produced. The leaves are well developed with pinnate or palmate blades and a fibrous sheathed clasping petiole. The flowers are small, of one or two sexes, and crowded on a spike or spadix, which is subtended by a large bract, or spathe which may become woody, as in the Cocoanut Palm. The perianth consists of 6 parts in 2 whorls (3 sepals and 3 petals) or it may be inconspicuous or absent. The stamens are 6 in number, rarely 3, inserted below the ovary. The ovary is superior, of 3 cells, with central placenta. The fruit is either a nut, with leathery epicarp, fibrous or cellular mesocarp and thin membranous endocarp, or a drupe (Cocoanut) with leathery epicarp, broadly fibrous mesocarp and stony endocarp, or a berry as in the Date Palm, Phoenix, with membranous epicarp, succulent mesocarp and soft succulent endocarp. The seeds are albuminous with the reserve food frequently in the form of hard cellulose (ivory-nut-palm). 

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) Tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum) Navy bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)... 

Date sugar (also miel de palma, palm honey, palm syrup) is obtained from the sweet fleshy fruit of the date palm Phoenix canariensis) which contains up to 81% sugar consisting primarily of sucrose as the principal disaccharide."... 

The date palm Phoenix dactylifera L.) is an important member of the Palmaciea family. Over 70% of the world production of dates comes from Middle Eastern countries. It represents a major source of energy and other nutrients in the diets of millions of people in this part of the world. The major producers are Iraq, Saudi Arabia, North Africa and California. 

Devshony, S., Eteshola, E. and Shani, A. (1992) Characteristics and some potential applications of date palm Phoenix dactylifera L.) seeds and seed oil. J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 69, 595-597. 

Fruits of the date palm, Phoenix dactylifera, are over 1 In (2.5 cm) long, sweet, fleshy, oblong, and contain a single seed. They grow in clusters that contain up to 200 dates and weigh up to 25 lb (11 kg). While hanging on the tree, dates are a rich red to golden brown. 

Leary JV, Nelsrai N, Tisserat B, Allingham EA (1986) Isolation of pathogenic Bacillus circulans from callus cultures and healthy offshoots of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.). Appl Environ Microbiol 52 1173-1176... 

Phoenix dactyiifera (Date palm) 10.0 —60.6 (chloroform) f of permethyl ... 

Glycyrrhiga glabra (Fabaceae), Salix sp. (willow) (Salicaceae) [flower] animals Oestriol isolated by Edward Doisy (USA) (Nobel Prize, Medicine, 1943, with Henrik Dam, Vitamin K) Phoenix dactylfera (date palm) (Palmae) [pollen, seed], fea mays (Poaceae) [seed oil],... 

Helianthus annuus (Asteraceae), Viciafaba (Fabaceae), Phoenix dactylifera (date palm) (Palmae), Rhodophyceae (marine red algae) animal membrane component hyperlipidaemia in many heart attack victims LDL carries cholesteryl esters f LDL -> cholesterol-rich arterial atheromas —> atherosclerosis -> blockage, clots — stroke myocardial infarction (heart attack)... 

Phoenix palms Phoenix sylvestris) are commonly grown in India, Ceylon, West Africa, the Middle East, Canary Islands, China, Bangladesh and Pakistan, and they are the main sources of palm sugar. The sugar sap is obtained when it flows out of wounds that are inflicted on the active part of the trunk within the crown. A single tree may yield 4-19 liters/d. Averages are 250-1100 liters per season. Tapping can be performed for 40 years and more. The date palm P. dactylifera) is tapped for the same purpose, but the whole central bud is cut out, and after 2 months the exhausted stem is dry and is used as firewood. 

Dates (Phoenix dactylifera) are probably the oldest cultivated fruit, having been cultivated for over 5000 years. It is a major crop in the Middle East and there are over 2000 cultivars. As with other palms, the sap is tapped for fermentation into toddy which is also distilled. A well-managed tree will produce 400-600 kg dates per year from the age of 5 years for up to 60 years. Al Farsi et al. (2005) report that dates contain unspecified carotenoids and anthocyanins together with protocatechuic acid, vanillic acid, syringic acid and ferulic acid... 

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