date palm

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Date
• date palm
• Date Tree
• Real Date Palm

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Palma dactylifera
• Phoenix chevalieri
• Phoenix dactylifera var. sphaerosperma
• Zamia pungens
• Phoenix dactylifera var. sylvestris
• Phoenix dactylifera var. adunca
• Phoenix dactylifera var. costata
• Macrozamia tridentata var. pungens
• Phoenix dactylifera var. cylindrocarpa
• Phoenix dactylifera var. gonocarpa
• Phoenix dactylifera var. oocarpa
• Phoenix dactylifera var. oxysperma
• Phoenix dactylifera var. sphaerocarpa
• Phoenix atlantica var. maroccana
• Phoenix iberica
• Encephalartos pungens

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Arecales and the family Arecaceae. Ultimately, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Phoenix.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as Phoenix dactylifera, exhibits a specific geographical distribution across several distinct regions. In Northern Europe, its presence is noted within Great Britain. Moving toward Southwestern Europe, the species can be found growing in Spain. Its range extends significantly into Northern Africa, where it is established in Algeria. Furthermore, this medicinal plant is widely distributed throughout the North African territories of Egypt and Libya.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Phoenix dactylifera is characterized by a diverse altitudinal distribution, ranging from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 700 m AMSL, with a mean elevational presence situated around 1500 m AMSL. Within its natural environment, the plant can be found integrated into the canopy habitat, where it interacts with various layers of the local vegetation. Furthermore, the species possesses biological defense mechanisms, as indicated by the presence of specific defensive traits utilized to ensure its survival within its ecological niche.

Defense :

yes

Elevational range max:

700 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1500 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

canopy

Life history

The life history of Phoenix dactylifera is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist and remain productive over many decades within its habitat. As a phanerophyte, it maintains its photosynthetic organs well above the ground level, developing a robust, woody structure that supports its significant height. Throughout its existence, the plant exhibits evergreen deciduousness, meaning it retains its functional green foliage year-round, providing a constant capacity for photosynthesis regardless of the season.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Phoenix dactylifera is characterized by a woody, self-supporting growth form, primarily functioning as a large tree or palm. As a terrestrial and independent organism, it does not exhibit parasitic or epiphytic behavior. The plant features an erect shoot orientation, with the shoots reaching a maximum length of 3000 cm. In terms of vertical dimension, the plant exhibits significant variability in height, ranging from a minimum of 0.4 m to a maximum of 25 m, with a recorded mean height of 27.5 m. The structural robustness of the plant is further indicated by its woody nature and a maximum diameter at breast height (DBH) of 60 cm.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

DBH max:

60 cm

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

25 m

Plant height mean:

27.5 m

Plant height min:

0.4 m

Shoot length max:

3000 cm

Shoot orientation :

erect

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Phoenix dactylifera is characterized by a robust metabolic and morphological structure adapted to arid environments, utilizing a C3 photosynthetic pathway to facilitate carbon fixation. The foliage is defined by a linear leaf form, with individual leaves exhibiting significant dimensions that typically range from a minimum length of 300 cm to a maximum length of 500 cm. To provide defense against herbivory, the leaves possess prominent spines. Furthermore, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on soil nutrient availability to support its substantial vegetative growth and metabolic processes.

Leaf form :

linear

Leaf length max:

500 cm

Leaf length min:

300 cm

Leaf spines :

yes

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Phoenix dactylifera is characterized by a dioecious sexual reproductive system, meaning that self-fertilization is absent and individual plants are either male or female. The flowering process typically begins in April and concludes in May, featuring small, yellow flowers that range in length from 0.7 cm to 1 cm and in width from 0.3 cm to 0.5 cm. Following successful pollination, the plant develops a fleshy, indehiscent fruit type classified as a berry. These yellow fruits exhibit significant morphological variation, with a mean length of 6 cm (ranging from 2.5 cm to 7.5 cm) and a mean width of 3 cm (ranging from 1.5 cm to 3.5 cm). Within these fruits, the seeds possess a mean mass of approximately 1.076 g (ranging from 0.562 g to 1.333 g) and a consistent seed volume of 1300 mm³. The dispersal of these seeds is categorized under the zoochorous syndrome, relying on animals for distribution.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Flower colour :

yellow

Flower length max:

1 cm

Flower length min:

0.7 cm

Flower width max:

0.5 cm

Flower width min:

0.3 cm

Flowering time :

Apr

Flowering time :

May

Fruit colour :

yellow

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length max:

7.5 cm

Fruit length mean:

6 cm

Fruit length min:

2.5 cm

Fruit type :

berry

Fruit width max:

3.5 cm

Fruit width mean:

3 cm

Fruit width min:

1.5 cm

Reproduction sexual :

dioecious

Seed mass max:

1.3333 g

Seed mass mean:

1.076153333 g

Seed mass min:

0.56216 g

Seed volume max:

1300 mm³

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Phoenix dactylifera has 3 reported plant parts identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, seed, leaf.

Fruit

1. Drug and chemical toxicology
2. Current drug discovery technologies
3. Scientific reports
4. International journal of clinical and experimental medicine
5. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Seed

1. BioMed research international
2. The West Indian medical journal
3. Frontiers in pharmacology
4. Jundishapur journal of natural pharmaceutical products

Leaf

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. Frontiers in plant science
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemicals

Phoenix dactylifera has 177 reported phytochemicals identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, polyphenols, Carotenoids, RUTIN, Sterols.

Flavonoids

1. Nutrients
2. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. Current drug discovery technologies
4. Frontiers in pharmacology
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

polyphenols

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in pharmacology
3. Nutrients
4. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR
5. International journal of biological macromolecules

Carotenoids

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. Journal of the science of food and agriculture
3. Current drug discovery technologies
4. Frontiers in pharmacology

RUTIN

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)

Sterols

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. Current drug discovery technologies
3. Frontiers in pharmacology

oleic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Natural product research
3. Chemistry & biodiversity

Anthocyanins

1. Current drug discovery technologies
2. Frontiers in pharmacology

Antioxidants

1. Nutrients
2. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

FAT

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of the science of food and agriculture

Fatty acids

1. Current drug discovery technologies
2. Frontiers in pharmacology

Activities

Phoenix dactylifera has 686 reported activities identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Anticancer, Antibacterial, Antidiabetic.

Antimicrobial

1. Scientific reports
2. Biology
3. Microbial pathogenesis
4. International journal of biological macromolecules
5. Environmental science and pollution research international

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP
3. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
4. BioMed research international
5. Journal of the science of food and agriculture

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP
3. Journal of the science of food and agriculture
4. International journal of biological macromolecules
5. Frontiers in pharmacology

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. BioMed research international
3. Biology

Gastroprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of the science of food and agriculture
3. Environmental science and pollution research international

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of the science of food and agriculture
3. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Antidepressant

1. Dr. Duke
2. BioMed research international

Antifungal

1. International journal of biological macromolecules
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antimutagenic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of the science of food and agriculture

Conditions

Phoenix dactylifera has 36 reported investigations on conditions identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include hypertension, infertility, male infertility, Alzheimer's disease, Antidiabetic.

Hypertension

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Infertility

1. International journal of fertility & sterility
2. Iranian journal of reproductive medicine

Male infertility

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

Alzheimer's disease

1. BioMed research international

Antidiabetic

1. Biology

Candida

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Candidiasis

1. Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)

Diabetes mellitus

1. The West Indian medical journal

E. coli

1. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition

Mcf-7 cells

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Preparations

Phoenix dactylifera has 13 reported preparations identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous extract, aqueous extracts, aqueous leaf extract, chloroform extracts, date palm pollen.

Aqueous extract

1. Microbial pathogenesis

Aqueous extracts

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Aqueous leaf extract

1. Frontiers in plant science

Chloroform extracts

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Date palm pollen

1. Archives of Razi Institute

Ethyl-acetate extracts

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Heart of p. dactylifera extract

1. Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP

Hexane extracts

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Methanol extracts

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Plant extract

1. Microbial pathogenesis