Palmae

plural noun

ˈpalˌmē,

ˈpäˌm-,

-mī

: a family (coextensive with the order Palmales) of chiefly tropical trees, shrubs, and vines comprising the palms, having a usually tall columnar trunk that lacks a cambium and is therefore incapable of true secondary growth and bears a crown of very large leaves with stout sheathing and often prickly petioles whose persistent bases often clothe the trunk, and producing small flowers in very large clusters each subtended by a spathe

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, plural of Latin palma palm

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