Centauran Firepalm

Distribution
Phoenix centaurea davidii, the Centauran Firepalm, is a palm native to the Alpha Centauri Starsystem, with a very restricted distribution, confined to Alpha Cenaturi B III, a few sites on Alpha Centauri A IV, as well as some places on the southern continent of Proxima Centauri II. The specific name was chosen by the Bolian botanist Boq’ta Zim for the fact of her nativity. He had described several types of palms and other plants, endemic on Centauran System.

Description
Apart from the usually inedible Firepalmplums and upright fruit clusters, the Centauran species can appear quite similar to the cultivated Firepalmplum (Phoenix centaurea prunoideae). Phoenix cenaturea davidii grows up to six meters tall, usually with several slender stems. The leaves are pinnate, 2 to 2,5 meters long, with numerous rigid blazing red linear leaflets 20 - 30 cm long on each side of the central rachis. Dead leaves are marcescent, remaining attached to the stem for years after withering. The fruit is an oval, purple drupe, 9 cm long and contaning a single red large seed. The fruit pulp is too thin and fibrous to be of agricultural significance and has an acrid taste, though the fruits are sometimes eaten by the local wildlife.

Regarding USS Pegasus
For a wonder and irrespective of the bland climate, Lt. Aziz found some specimens of this species on the planetary surface of Kelaris I, nearby Outpost 311, when he was waiting for his embarkation to USS Pegasus.