Hydriastele costata
F.M.Bailey
Arecaceae
Gulubia affinis Becc.
Gulubia costata (Becc.) Becc.
Kentia costata Becc.
Kentia microcarpa Warb. ex K.Schum. & Lauterb.
Pinanga pisiformis Teijsm. ex Becc.
Common Name:
General Information
Hydriastele costata is a single stemmed, robust to very robust, evergreen palm with an unbranched stem up to 35 metres tall and 15 - 35cm in diameter; this is topped by a spherical crown of 12 - 25 leaves, each of which can be 2.4 - 5.5 metres long including the petiole[
1974- Title
- A monograph of Hydriastele (Areceae, Arecaceae) in New Guinea and Australia
- Publication
- Phytotaxa 370 (1): 001-092, 2018
- Author
- Petoe P., Heatubun C.D. & Baker W.J.
- Website
- https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.370.1.1
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2018
- ISBN
- 1179-3155
- Description
-
].
The plant is commonly harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a source of materials. It is commonly planted near villages in New Guinea[
1974- Title
- A monograph of Hydriastele (Areceae, Arecaceae) in New Guinea and Australia
- Publication
- Phytotaxa 370 (1): 001-092, 2018
- Author
- Petoe P., Heatubun C.D. & Baker W.J.
- Website
- https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.370.1.1
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2018
- ISBN
- 1179-3155
- Description
-
].
Hydriastele costata is widely distributed, and is common across New Guinea. There are no known direct threats. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2019)[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- 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.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
1974- Title
- A monograph of Hydriastele (Areceae, Arecaceae) in New Guinea and Australia
- Publication
- Phytotaxa 370 (1): 001-092, 2018
- Author
- Petoe P., Heatubun C.D. & Baker W.J.
- Website
- https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.370.1.1
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2018
- ISBN
- 1179-3155
- Description
-
Range
Australasia - Bismarck Archipelago, New Guinea, northeast Australia (Queensland)
Habitat
An emergent or canopy palm found in primary or secondary lowland rainforest often on swampy ground, or more infrequently lower montane forest on less waterlogged ridges and slopes; at elevations up to 700 metres[
1974- Title
- A monograph of Hydriastele (Areceae, Arecaceae) in New Guinea and Australia
- Publication
- Phytotaxa 370 (1): 001-092, 2018
- Author
- Petoe P., Heatubun C.D. & Baker W.J.
- Website
- https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.370.1.1
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2018
- ISBN
- 1179-3155
- Description
-
].
Properties
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 28.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Semi-cultivated, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
The palm heart is consumed[
1974- Title
- A monograph of Hydriastele (Areceae, Arecaceae) in New Guinea and Australia
- Publication
- Phytotaxa 370 (1): 001-092, 2018
- Author
- Petoe P., Heatubun C.D. & Baker W.J.
- Website
- https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.370.1.1
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2018
- ISBN
- 1179-3155
- Description
-
]. The palm heart (the inner core and growing bud of the plant) is harvested. It provides a crispy food, rich in nutrients, that can be eaten raw or cooked. Harvesting the heart will lead to the death of the plant since it is unable to produce new shoots[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Medicinal
The crushed stem is taken orally as a remdy for shortness of breath[
1534- Title
- An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in the East Sepik province of Papua New Guinea
- Publication
- Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2015) 11:79
- Author
- Koch M. et al
- Website
- http://10.1186/s13002-015-0065-8
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2015
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
Other Uses
The leaf sheaths are used as basins for water buckets, carrying baskets, sago containers and plates[
1974- Title
- A monograph of Hydriastele (Areceae, Arecaceae) in New Guinea and Australia
- Publication
- Phytotaxa 370 (1): 001-092, 2018
- Author
- Petoe P., Heatubun C.D. & Baker W.J.
- Website
- https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.370.1.1
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2018
- ISBN
- 1179-3155
- Description
-
].
The indumentum is used as a firelighter[
1974- Title
- A monograph of Hydriastele (Areceae, Arecaceae) in New Guinea and Australia
- Publication
- Phytotaxa 370 (1): 001-092, 2018
- Author
- Petoe P., Heatubun C.D. & Baker W.J.
- Website
- https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.370.1.1
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2018
- ISBN
- 1179-3155
- Description
-
].
Old inflorescences are used as brushes[
1974- Title
- A monograph of Hydriastele (Areceae, Arecaceae) in New Guinea and Australia
- Publication
- Phytotaxa 370 (1): 001-092, 2018
- Author
- Petoe P., Heatubun C.D. & Baker W.J.
- Website
- https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.370.1.1
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2018
- ISBN
- 1179-3155
- Description
-
].
The stems and leaves of this species are used for flooring and house construction[
1974- Title
- A monograph of Hydriastele (Areceae, Arecaceae) in New Guinea and Australia
- Publication
- Phytotaxa 370 (1): 001-092, 2018
- Author
- Petoe P., Heatubun C.D. & Baker W.J.
- Website
- https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.370.1.1
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2018
- ISBN
- 1179-3155
- Description
-
]..
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
