date

Phoenix dactylifera, L. (1753), is a flowering plant in the Arecaceae family. It is native to the area from the Gulf States to Pakistan and is cultivated for its fruit, the date. The species is grown in northern Africa, the Middle East, Australia, South and Southeast Asia, the Mediterranean, and the desert regions of Southern California. It is naturalised in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. The typification of this name was detailed by Moore & Dransfield (Taxon 28: 64-67, 1979), with Greuter & Jarvis selecting an infructescence as the type. Phoenix dactylifera is the type species of the genus Phoenix, which comprises 12–19 species of wild date palms.