Real fan palm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Real fan palm |
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| Specimen in northern Namibia, and the spherical fruit with cross-section | |
| Scientific classification | |
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Hyphaene
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| Species: |
petersiana
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The Makalani palm, also known as the real fan palm (scientific name: Hyphaene petersiana), is a type of palm tree. It grows naturally in the warm, low-lying areas of south-central Africa.
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Where Makalani Palms Grow
Makalani palms are found in many African countries. These include Burundi, Rwanda, the DRC, Tanzania, Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia. You can also find them in the northern and north-eastern Limpopo region.
Makalani Palm Habitat
These palms like to grow in open woodlands. They are also found in flood plains, along river banks, and at the edges of swamps.
Makalani Palm Reproduction
Like other Hyphaene palms, the Makalani palm has separate male and female trees. The female trees produce many round fruits, about 60 millimeters (2.4 inches) wide. A single tree can have up to 2,000 fruits at once. These fruits are the result of about four seasons of growth.
How Seeds Grow
The seeds of the Makalani palm can be tricky to grow. However, they do well in salty conditions. They grow very long roots that reach deep underground for salty water. Even though they grow slowly, these palms can reach a height of 18 meters (59 feet). Most adult trees are usually about 5 to 7 meters (16 to 23 feet) tall.
Uses of Makalani Palms
Both people and animals use Makalani palms. People collect the sap from the tree's growing tip to make palm wine. The soft center part of the stem can be eaten.
Makalani Palm Fruit
The fruit has a tough outer layer. Inside, there is a white, edible part called vegetable ivory. When it's fresh, it's soft and contains a liquid similar to coconut milk. The Ovambo people call the fruit eendunga. They use it to make their traditional drink, ombike.
Animals and the Palm
Some birds, like the African palm swift and the rufous-tailed palm-thrush, rely on these palms for their nests and homes.
Similar Palm Species
The Makalani palm looks a bit like H. coriacea, which grows to the southeast. However, you can tell them apart by their fruit. Makalani palm fruit is round, while H. coriacea fruit is pear-shaped. Also, the Makalani palm's trunk often bulges out below its leaves. Another palm, B. aethiopum, has a similar trunk shape.
Gallery
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A group of real fan palms at Namutoni, Etosha, Namibia
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Fruit without its outer skin, showing the thick fibrous layer and the endosperm, Namibia
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Clusters of fruit at Shingwedzi, Kruger N. P.
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A group of palms by the water in Gorongosa Reserve, Mozambique
See also
In Spanish: Hyphaene petersiana para niños
