A N F Keys
1 Leaves pinnately compound, blades (850−)3000−4000+ mm long, length >> width, the basal leaflets stiff and daggerlike with sharp, spine tip; flowers unisexual (dioecious); inflorescence at anthesis a dense panicle of many ± straight, ascending spikes partially concealed by a boat-shaped and conspicuously 2-keeled bract close to the trunk; berry ovoid-ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid, 18−22 × 10−13 mm, green and smooth often maturing orange and wrinkled .. Phoenix canariensis [pics]
1' Leaves palmately divided with blades splitting margin toward base, blades (200−)600−1350 mm, length ± = width, lacking spine-tipped basal leaflets but have sharp spines along petioles; flowers only bisexual; inflorescence a compound panicle with 5−6 orders of branching, ascending and arching, to 3600 mm long and fully exposed with leaves; berry obovoid, 4.5−6 × 2.2−3 mm, dark brown .. Washingtonia robusta [pics]
The text of the above keys used with permission from
A Naturalist's Flora of the Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills, California
© Copyright
Barry A. Prigge and Arthur C. Gibson
2013