Rhapis is a
genus of about 10 species of small
palms native to southeastern
Asia from southern
Japan and southern
China south to
Sumatra. The species are commonly known as
Lady Palms. They are fan palms (Corypheae tribe), with the
leaves with a bare petiole terminating in a rounded fan of numerous leaflets. The plants have thin stems growing to 3–4 m tall, branching at the base, forming clumps and are
dioecious, with male and female flowers produced on separate plants.
Rhapis is closely related to the
Maxburretia and
Guihaia genera and with them form a
taxon within Thrinacinae represented by carpel specialization.