regia regia commonly known cuban royal palm florida royal palm simply royal palm species palm native southern florida mexico parts central_america caribbean large attractive palm planted tropics ornamental tree called regia correct species populations cuba florida long seen separate species considered belong single species best known ornamental regia source construction timber medicinal plant fruit eaten birds bats disperse seeds fed livestock flowers visited birds bats serves site food source variety animals regia national tree cuba religious role christianity palm sunday description regia large palm reaches height metres tall heights reported stem diameter centimetres reports maximum stem diameter trunk stout smooth grey white colour characteristic distinctive green trees leaves long flowers white pinkish fruit ellipsoid shape millimetres long wide green immature turning red eventually black mature root containing bacteria found regia trees india presence containing root usually associated nitrogen record root tree evidence nitrogen provided presence nitrogen compound allows function reducing oxygen concentration root addition evidence nitrogen found producing acid important plant taxonomy placed subfamily tribe placement uncertain phylogeny based dna failed resolve position genus appear molecular phylogenetic studies relationship regia rest genus uncertain species described american naturalist based trees growing central florida german botanist described species regia based collections cuba german botanist moved genus renamed genus proposed german botanist applied species known species transferred genera genus continued applied variety similar species fact closely related address problem american botanist created genus named honour american general renamed species regia cook considered populations distinct regia puerto rican placed new species considered synonym regia described new species based collections georgetown placed genus species considered synonyms regia regia var applied central american populations species determined differ cuban populations considered separate variety based rules botanical nomenclature oldest properly published species priority newer names applied large solitary palm white trunk topped green leaf leaves growing central florida type collection known native fit description pointed valid proposed new combination use revision genus established usage harper new combination immediately supplanted cook disagreement cuban populations represented single species species revision genus concluded belonged species according rules botanical nomenclature correct species pointed regia regia history use dated species propagated world hand widely basis proposed regia common names cultivation regia called cuban royal palm simply royal palm populations native florida called florida royal cuba tree called real india widely cultivated called reproduction growth regia produces flowers animals european honey bees bats reported seeds dispersed birds bats feed fruit seed adjacent expands pushes portion embryo seed result develops adjacent seed embryo forms cultivation reported begin producing stem years point produce thirteenth leaf growth rates averaged year florida distribution regia found southern florida mexico veracruz central_america cuba puerto_rico hispaniola lesser antilles bahamas described species lake river area modern lake counties central florida area north modern range today cultivated tropical subtropical climates united_states australia brazil parts southern asia landscape palm united_states grows central southern florida areas southern california ecology leaves regia sites florida bat retreat cuban tree frogs non native species florida panama regia introduced nesting sites yellow crowned flowers regia visited collecting bees considered good source found cuban flower bat single leaf bat jamaican fruit bat social feed fruit regia host plant royal palm bug florida serves host plant butterflies cuba brazil susceptible caused fungus species considered invasive species secondary forest panama uses regia planted tropics ornamental seed source oil livestock feed leaves wood construction roots reason added drink origin treatment diabetes extracted leaf regia found comparable banana lower density making potentially useful source use lightweight composite materials extract regia fruit known reduces mixture studied potential alternative treatment religious significance regia plays important role popular religion cuba associated primarily father symbolic importance fraternity regia plays important role palm sunday
Roystonea regia