Pigafetta filaris
(Giseke) Becc.
Arecaceae
Calamus kunzeanus Becc.
Metroxylon filare (Giseke) Mart.
Metroxylon microcarpum Kunth
Metroxylon microspermum Kunth
Pigafetta filifera Merr.
Pigafetta papuana Becc.
Sagus filaris Giseke
Sagus microcarpa Zipp. ex Hall
Sagus microsperma Zipp. ex Hall
Common Name: Wanga Palm
Flowering plant
Photograph by: William J. Baker
Image credit to Palmweb
Flowering plant
Photograph by: William J. Baker
Image credit to Palmweb
Plant growing in native habitat in eastern Indonesia
Photograph by: William J. Baker
Image credit to Palmweb
Nuni, West Papua, Indonesia
Photograph by: John Dransfield
Image credit to Palmweb
The spiny leaf stems
Photograph by: John Dransfield
Image credit to Palmweb
Developing fruits
Photograph by: John Dransfield
Image credit to Palmweb
Ripening fruits
Photograph by: John Dransfield
Image credit to Palmweb
North Biak, Papua, Biak, Indonesia
Photograph by: William J. Baker
Image credit to Palmweb
Flowering plant
Photograph by: William J. Baker
Image credit to Palmweb
Tall plants in Indonesia
Photograph by: John Dransfield
Image credit to Palmweb
General Information
Wanga palm is a very fast and tall growing single-stemmed, evergreen palm tree that can reach a height of 50 metres.
The plant is exploited extensively in its native range for its timber[
297- Title
- Palms of the World
- Publication
-
- Author
- Blombery. A. & Rodd. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-207-14848-1
- Description
- An excellent guide, well illustrated, with information on cultivation, uses, habitat etc of almost 200 species of Palms.
]. It is attracting interest as a potential commercial timber crop in areas with similar climates[
297- Title
- Palms of the World
- Publication
-
- Author
- Blombery. A. & Rodd. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-207-14848-1
- Description
- An excellent guide, well illustrated, with information on cultivation, uses, habitat etc of almost 200 species of Palms.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Range
Southeast Asia - Indonesia in the Celebes and Moluccas.
Habitat
Forest edges and disturbed land at elevations of 300 - 1,500 metres[
297- Title
- Palms of the World
- Publication
-
- Author
- Blombery. A. & Rodd. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-207-14848-1
- Description
- An excellent guide, well illustrated, with information on cultivation, uses, habitat etc of almost 200 species of Palms.
]. Rapidly colonizes forest clearings and other situations in full light[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 50.00 m |
| Growth Rate | Fast |
| Self-fertile | No |
| Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Plants succeed in moist tropical climates where temperatures never fall below 10°c, the average annual rainfall is 1,500mm or more and the driest month has 25mm or more rain[
297- Title
- Palms of the World
- Publication
-
- Author
- Blombery. A. & Rodd. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-207-14848-1
- Description
- An excellent guide, well illustrated, with information on cultivation, uses, habitat etc of almost 200 species of Palms.
].
Requires a sunny position and a deep rich soil[
297- Title
- Palms of the World
- Publication
-
- Author
- Blombery. A. & Rodd. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-207-14848-1
- Description
- An excellent guide, well illustrated, with information on cultivation, uses, habitat etc of almost 200 species of Palms.
]. Plants grow well in full sun, even when small[
297- Title
- Palms of the World
- Publication
-
- Author
- Blombery. A. & Rodd. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-207-14848-1
- Description
- An excellent guide, well illustrated, with information on cultivation, uses, habitat etc of almost 200 species of Palms.
].
One of the fastest growing palm species, it can grow 2 metres per year.
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.
Edible Uses
Fruit - occasionally eaten[
297- Title
- Palms of the World
- Publication
-
- Author
- Blombery. A. & Rodd. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-207-14848-1
- Description
- An excellent guide, well illustrated, with information on cultivation, uses, habitat etc of almost 200 species of Palms.
]. The ovoid fruit is about 12mm in diameter[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Medicinal
None known
Agroforestry Uses:
A fast-growing tree that rapidly invades forest clearings, cleared ground etc. It can be used as a pioneer species, especially for re-establishing native woodland[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Other Uses
A fibre obtained from the young leaves is used for making thread[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].
The leaves are made into small rugs[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].
Wood - very hard. Used extensively for construction[
297- Title
- Palms of the World
- Publication
-
- Author
- Blombery. A. & Rodd. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-207-14848-1
- Description
- An excellent guide, well illustrated, with information on cultivation, uses, habitat etc of almost 200 species of Palms.
].
Propagation
Seed - pre-soak for 24 hours in warm water and sow in containers. The seed must be fresh - germination is usually rapid, sometimes taking less than a month[
297- Title
- Palms of the World
- Publication
-
- Author
- Blombery. A. & Rodd. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-207-14848-1
- Description
- An excellent guide, well illustrated, with information on cultivation, uses, habitat etc of almost 200 species of Palms.
].
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
