Adonidia merrillii
(Becc.) Becc.
Arecaceae
Normanbya merrillii Becc.
Veitchia merrillii (Becc.) H.E.Moore
Common Name:
General Information
Adonidia merrillii is an evergreen, single-stemmed palm tree that grows about 6 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical, unbranched stem is around 15 - 21cm in diameter, topped by a compact crown of about a dozen arched, pinnate leaves about 1.5 metres long[
362- Title
- Dominica Botanic Gardens
- Publication
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- Author
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- Website
- http://www.da-academy.org/trees_shrubs.html
- Publisher
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- Year
- 0
- ISBN
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- Description
- An on-line resource, providing top quality pictures and some basic information on various plants being grown at the Botanic Gardens, often including uses and habitat.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a masticatory and source of beads. It is often grown as an ornamental in tropical gardens, and as a pot plant in cooler areas[
362- Title
- Dominica Botanic Gardens
- Publication
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- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.da-academy.org/trees_shrubs.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line resource, providing top quality pictures and some basic information on various plants being grown at the Botanic Gardens, often including uses and habitat.
]
The plant has a very narrow distribution. It is classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
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- Author
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- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
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- Year
- 0
- ISBN
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- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
Range
Southeast Asia - Philippines.
Habitat
Coastal areas, growing in open forest on steep limestone slopes[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
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- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Properties
| Conservation Status | Near Threatened |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 5.00 m |
| Growth Rate | Fast |
| Pollinators | Bees |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
The plant is very cold sensitive and can only be grown outdoors in genuinely tropical climates[
314- Title
- Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia.
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- Website
- http://www.pacsoa.org.au/
- Publisher
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- Year
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- ISBN
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- Description
- Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website.
].
Grows best in full sun[
362- Title
- Dominica Botanic Gardens
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.da-academy.org/trees_shrubs.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line resource, providing top quality pictures and some basic information on various plants being grown at the Botanic Gardens, often including uses and habitat.
]. Succeeds in most soils so long as they are not water-logged[
362- Title
- Dominica Botanic Gardens
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.da-academy.org/trees_shrubs.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line resource, providing top quality pictures and some basic information on various plants being grown at the Botanic Gardens, often including uses and habitat.
]. Requires a moist but well-drained soil[
314- Title
- Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.pacsoa.org.au/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website.
].
A fast-growing plant[
314- Title
- Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.pacsoa.org.au/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website.
].
The plant is very susceptible to lethal yellowing disease[
362- Title
- Dominica Botanic Gardens
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.da-academy.org/trees_shrubs.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line resource, providing top quality pictures and some basic information on various plants being grown at the Botanic Gardens, often including uses and habitat.
].
Edible Uses
The fleshy seed is used as a substitute for betel nut (Areca catechu) as a masticatory[
360- Title
- Philippine Medicinal Plants
- Publication
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- Author
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- Website
- http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
- Publisher
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- Year
- 0
- ISBN
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- Description
- A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
]. It is considered to be somewhat inferior[
360- Title
- Philippine Medicinal Plants
- Publication
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- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
].
Medicinal
None known
Agroforestry Uses:
The tree is prized by beekeepers for its high quality nectar[
362- Title
- Dominica Botanic Gardens
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.da-academy.org/trees_shrubs.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line resource, providing top quality pictures and some basic information on various plants being grown at the Botanic Gardens, often including uses and habitat.
].
Other Uses
The brown seed is marked by a network of light grooves. It is used, generally in combination with other seeds, to make ornamental necklaces[
520- Title
- Botanical Beads
- Publication
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- Author
- Smith R.J.
- Website
- http://www.botanicalbeads.com/
- Publisher
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- Year
- 0
- ISBN
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- Description
- A website looking at seeds that are used for ornament. It is based on a book that the author had written.
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
