Trunk solitary, to 12 m tall, stout, grey. Leaves stiff, dull green, whitish beneath, in a large dense crown, the old leaves hanging as a brown skirt. Leaflets narrow, stiffly spreading. Leaf stalk strongly spiny. Panicles about as long as the leaves. Fruit about 2 cm long, oblong to round, yellow.
Baja California
Grows naturally in rocky canyons and on sheltered slopes. Natural populations have been greatly reduced as the trees are cut for wood, cabbage and thatch. The fruits have edible flesh.
Stout grey trunk; leaves stiff, dull green, whitish beneath, in a large dense crown; panicles about as long as the leaves; fruit yellow.
NSW: Sydney (Royal Botanic Garden Sydney).
B. edulis S.Watson, Guadalupe Palm, from Guadalupe Island and Mexico has a stout grey trunk to 10 m tall. Leaves stiff, on long stalks, green, in a large rounded crown. Leaflets narrow, stiff. Leaf stalk smooth or with short spines. Panicles slender, slightly shorter than the leaves. Fruit about 3 cm across, round, black. Grows naturally in deep warm canyons. The fruit have a layer of sweet edible flesh. It is recognised by the stout grey trunk, stiff green leaves in a large heavy crown, panicles about as long as the leaves and the small round black fruit. A specimen can be seen at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.
Source: (2005). Arecaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.
