Botanical Description
The Manila Palm (Adonida merrillii) also known as the Christmas Palm is a solitary palm with an erect trunk, the trunk is grey and marked by circular leaf scars. The leaf is pinnately compound measuring 1.5 to 2 m in length arching upward while the leaflets which measure 0.6 cm in length and 5 cm in width and droops down. A crownshaft is formed by the leafbases just above the trunk. The flowers are borne upon an inflorescence known as a panicle, the plant is monoecious containing both male and female flowers, they are grouped together in bundles of two staminate flowers and a single pistillate flower. The fruit is a fleshy fruit with a single hard seed (also known as a pit) called a drupe measuring 3 cm in length and 1.5 cm in width, the fruit slowly turns red as it matures. Its specific epithet honors American botanist Elmer Drew Merrill and his numerous contributions to Philippine botany.
Uses:
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A popular landscaping choice cultivated worldwide due to its colorful fruits. It is one of the tree species for urban greening by the DENR due to its relatively small stature and hardiness.
