Planted in some of the inhabited islands Seed kernel (either raw or cured) is widely used in Maldives for chewing either singly or in combination with lime, betel leaves and tobacco. A decoction of roots is known to cure sore lips. The juice of tender leaves is mixed with oil and
Tall palms, stem erect, hooped, unarmed. Leaves in a terminal crown, to 2 m long; leaflets many, linear or linear- lanceolate, base narrow, apex praemorse; lower ones plicate; upper ones coherent. Spadices several on the axils of fallen leaves, to 50 cm long, branched, shortly peduncled; spikes flexuous or straight, to 30 cm long. Spathes boat-like, coriaceous. Flowers monoecious; lower ones female, 1-3 at spike-base; upper ones male, many. Male flowers ca. 3 mm long; sepals 3, ca. 1 mm long, triangular; petals 3, ca. 2.5 mm, ovate, white; stamens 6; pistillode 2-fid. Female flowers ca. 1.3 cm long; sepals ca. 7 mm, obovate; petals to 1 cm; ovary to 8 mm, oblong, 1-celled, ovule solitary. Fruit to × 4 2.5 cm, with fibrous mesocarps, orange- red in colour.
native range
Southeast Asia
distribution
Cultivated from India to the Solomon Islands and less commonly in Africa and tropical America