‘Roystonea labia'

Question

Is ‘Roystonea labia’ a real type of plant? It is referred to in Jim Crace's The Devil's Larder.

Answer 1

The species is not a real plant, but the genus Roystonea exists. This is a group of palms that's commonly known as Royal Palms. They grow in the tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas.

There is a Roystonea regia species, which is the Florida or Cuban Royal Palm. This might have been the inspiration for the plant species in the book.