Pinanga sylvestris
(Lour.) Hodel
Arecaceae
Areca sylvestris Lour.
Pinanga chinensis Becc.
Pinanga cochinchinensis Blume
Pinanga duperreana Pierre ex Becc.
Pinanga macroclada Burret
Ptychosperma sylvestris (Lour.) Miq.
Seaforthia cochinchinensis (Blume) Mart.
Common Name:
General Information
Pinanga sylvestris is a clump-forming, evergreen palm producing a cluster of unbranched stems up to 6 metres tall and 15 - 35mm in diameter. These are each topped by a crown of leaves each around 100 - 150cm long[
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials.
Pinanga sylvestris has a quite extensive range from India to Indo-China, but it is only known from a small number of collections. The habitat in which it occurs continues to be put under pressure from conversion to agricultural land. Populations found in natural reserves will be offered some protection and higher montane habitat is less likely to be suitable for habitat conversion. The plant is currently classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[
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
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
Range
E. Asia - northeast India, southern China, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia
Habitat
Understorey of lowland and montane rain forests; at elevations from 100 - 1,750 metres, but usually above 1,000 metres[
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.
].
Properties
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 5.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Pinanga is a plant of the cooler humid tropics, where it is found at low to moderate elevations. It is likely to tolerate occasional, short-lived, light frosts.
Species in this genus generally require a warm, sheltered position with at least moderate shade, especially when young. They grow best in a circumneutral, moist but well-drained soil and strongly dislike dry conditions[
974- Title
- Encyclopedia of Tropical Plants - Identification and Cultivation of over 3,000 Tropical Plants
- Publication
-
- Author
- Ahmed Fayaz
- Publisher
- Firefly Books Ltd.; New Zealand
- Year
- 2011
- ISBN
- 978-1-55407-489
- Description
- A good photograph and terse but detailed information for over 3,000 species of tropical plants. An excellent reference.
].
Edible Uses
The apical bud is edible[
347- Title
- Tropical Palms
- Publication
- Non-Wood Forest Products No. 10
- Author
- Johnson D.V.
- Website
- http://www.fao.org/docrep/
- Publisher
- FAO, Rome
- Year
- 2011
- ISBN
- 978-92-5-106742-0
- Description
- A terse guide to some of the uses of palms. Also available for download from the web. (Search for "FAO Tropical Palms")
]. (As Pinanga duperriana) 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 stem it was harvested from, though in multi-stemmed plants such as this the rest of the plant will continue to grow and often produce new stems[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
The seeds are chewed as a substitute for betel nut (Areca catechu)[
347- Title
- Tropical Palms
- Publication
- Non-Wood Forest Products No. 10
- Author
- Johnson D.V.
- Website
- http://www.fao.org/docrep/
- Publisher
- FAO, Rome
- Year
- 2011
- ISBN
- 978-92-5-106742-0
- Description
- A terse guide to some of the uses of palms. Also available for download from the web. (Search for "FAO Tropical Palms")
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
The leaves are woven to make mats and sails[
347- Title
- Tropical Palms
- Publication
- Non-Wood Forest Products No. 10
- Author
- Johnson D.V.
- Website
- http://www.fao.org/docrep/
- Publisher
- FAO, Rome
- Year
- 2011
- ISBN
- 978-92-5-106742-0
- Description
- A terse guide to some of the uses of palms. Also available for download from the web. (Search for "FAO Tropical Palms")
].
Propagation
Seed -
Division of new growths at the base
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
