This taxon is not universally accepted. It is treated as a synonym of Areca triandra Roxb. ex Buch.-Ham., in Henderson, A. (2009). Palms of Southern Asia: 1-197. Princeton University Press, Princeton and Oxford[].

Common Name:

General Information

Areca montana is an small, solitary-stemmed, evergreen palm that can grow up to 5 metres tall. The unbranched stem is up to 5cm in diameter, topped by a crown of leaves each around 2 metres long[].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for its seed, which is seen as an inferior substitute for the betel nut (Areca catechu). It is sometimes planted in graveyards for ornamental purposes[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia.

Habitat

Hill forest, at elevations up to 750 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	5.00 m
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a warm, sheltered position in a moist soil[].

Edible Uses

The seeds are used as an inferior substitute for those of areca palm (Areca catechu)[]. These uses are as follows:-

Seed - raw. The seed has mild narcotic properties, it is widely used in some areas of the tropics as a masticatory, being mixed with the leaves of a pepper plant (Piper betle), a gum and, often, lime[, ]. Betel seeds contain tannins and alkaloids - these stimulate saliva flow, accelerate heart and perspiration rates, suppress hunger and offer positive protection against intestinal worms[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.

Name:

Email(Private):

Message:

Captcha: 10 times itself is?