Washingtonia filifera (California Fan Palm)

Washingtonia filifera

Washingtonia filifera (Linden ex André) H. Wendl.

Brahea filamentosa (Fenzi) H. Wendl.

Brahea filifera W. Watson nom. inval.

Neowashingtonia filamentosa (Fenzi) Sudw.

Pritchardia filamentosa Fenzi

Pritchardia filifera Linden ex André

Washingtonia filamentosa (Fenzi) Kuntze

Washingtonia filifera (Linden ex André) H. Wendl. var. robusta Parish

California Fan Palm, Desert Fan Palm, Cotton Palm, Arizona Fan Palm

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Liliopsida	Monocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family
Subclass	Arecidae	Palm-like plants
Order	Arecales	Palms
Family	Arecaceae	Palms
Genus	Washingtonia	After George Washington (1732-1799), first President of the United States
Species	filifera	Composed of or bearing thread-like structures

About plant names...

The California fan palm is the only palm that is native to the southwestern United States. They can live for as long as 250 years. The genus is named for George Washington.

Identification: Palms reach 59' (18 m) in height, with tall thin gradually narrowing gray trunks up to 6' (1.8 m) around at the base. Leaf fronds are up to 6' (1.8 m) long, composed of a rounded, fanlike spray of narrow, pointed leaves at the end of each petiole (leaf stem). Fans are 3-6' (91-182 cm) around, and gray-green in color. Old leaves may remain attached indefinitely, forming a “petticoat” that can reach all the way to the ground, held together by threadlike fibers on and between the leaves. Small off-white flowers extend well beyond the foliage. The fruit is black berries, about ¼" (6.3 mm) in diameter, in clusters of long strings.

Online References:

Washingtonia filifera on floridata.com

Washingtonia filifera on cals.arizona.edu

Washingtonia filifera on Wikipedia

Washingtonia filifera on the USDA Forest Service's Fire Effects Information Database

Washingtonia filifera on CalPhotos

References:

Sibley, David Allen, The Sibley Guide to Trees, Alfred A. Knopf, 2009, p. 83