Caryota
Genus of palms
title: "Caryota" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["caryota", "arecaceae-genera", "garden-plants-of-asia", "garden-plants-of-oceania", "botanical-taxa-named-by-carl-linnaeus"] description: "Genus of palms" topic_path: "general/caryota" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caryota" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Genus of palms ::
| name = Fishtail palms | image = Caryota mitis leaves.jpg | image_caption = Caryota mitis leaves | display_parents = 2 | taxon = Caryota | authority = L. | type_species = Caryota urens | synonyms_ref = | synonyms =
- Schunda-Pana Adans.
- Thuessinkia Korth. ex Miq ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/短穗魚尾葵_20190607180236.jpg" caption="''Caryota mitis''"] ::
Caryota is a genus of palm trees. They are often known as fishtail palms because of the shape of their leaves.
As of September 2025, the genus comprises 14 accepted species, with a native distribution ranging from the Indian subcontinent and southern China, extending in a south-east direction to Queensland, Australia and Vanuatu.
One of the more widely known species is Caryota urens, the flowers of which are used to make one type of jaggery (an unrefined sugar), and also to make palm wine. Caryota mitis is native to Indochina, but has become an invasive introduced species in the US state of Florida. They are also one of the few Arecaceae with bipinnate foliage. Many grow in mountainous areas and are adapted to warm mediterranean climates as well as subtropical and tropical climates.
Fishtail palms contain raphides.
Species
::data[format=table]
| Image | Scientific name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Caryota albertii F.Muell. ex H.Wendl. | Queensland | |
| Caryota angustifolia Zumaidar & Jeanson | Sulawesi | |
| [[File:Caryota cumingii.jpg | 120px]] | Caryota cumingii Lodd. ex Mart. |
| Caryota elegans Schaedtler | ||
| Caryota kiriwongensis Hodel | Thailand | |
| [[File:Caryota maxima 001.jpg | 120px]] | Caryota maxima Blume |
| [[File:Đùng đình.JPG | 120px]] | Caryota mitis Lour. |
| Caryota monostachya Becc. | Vietnam, Guangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan | |
| [[File:Starr-120403-4144-Caryota no-fronds-Kula-Maui (25045239351).jpg | 120px]] | Caryota no Becc. |
| [[File:Caryota obtusa kz4.jpg | 120px]] | Caryota obtusa Griff. |
| Caryota ophiopellis Dowe | Vanuatu | |
| [[File:Caryota rumphiana - Fishtale Palm P1170555.JPG | 120px]] | Caryota rumphiana Mart. |
| Caryota sympetala Gagnep. | Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia | |
| [[File:Fish tail palm.JPG | 120px]] | Caryota urens L. |
| Caryota zebrina Hambali & al. | New Guinea | |
| :: |
Gallery
File:Fishtail palm.JPG|Fishtail palm at Bhopal File:Fishtail palm1.JPG|Fishtail palm at Bhopal File:Fishtail-palm-flower-detail.jpg|Fishtail palm flower in detail. File:Fishtail palm at Chandigarh.jpg|Fishtail palm at Chandigarh File:Fishtail palm - close up.jpg|Fishtail palm - close up File:Leaves of Fishtail palm tree.jpg|Leaves of fishtail palm tree File:Fishtail palm - detail.jpg|Fishtail palm - detail
References
References
- [https://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=34756 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families]
- "Caryota L. {{!}} Plants of the World Online {{!}} Kew Science".
- Govaerts, R. & Dransfield, J. (2005). World Checklist of Palms: 1-223. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
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