Common Name:

General Information

Satakentia liukiuensis is a single-stemmed, evergreen palm with an erect, unbranched stem that can be up to 20 metres tall and 30cm in diameter; this is topped by crown of 10 - 14 large leaves each of which can be up to 300cm long excluding the petiole[].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is often grown as an ornamental and street tree in southern Japan.
Satakentia liukiuensis is classified as 'Data Deficient' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(1998)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - southern Japan (Nansei-shoto - Ishigaki, Iriomote).

Habitat

An emergent to canopy tree in lowland forests[]. This species is often found occurring in large, even-sized populations[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Data Deficient
Edibility Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	0.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Satakentia liukiuensis is native to the tropical and subtropical climate in the islands of southern Japan. It occurs naturally in moist montane forest, and is heavily effected by the surrounding sea temperatures, which are constant and often form sea mist and cloud. In this type of natural environment temperature fluctuations are slight, and this palm prefers a constantly mild climate with little temperature difference between day and night, or between summer and winter. It can surviveshort-term freezing temperatures to about -3.8°c, but freezing is best avoided. Under extreme freezing conditions it is best to keep this palm as dry as possible, and well wrapped up.
Plants are somewhat salt tolerant.
A moderately slow-growing species.

Edible Uses

Fruit[1968. The mesocarp has numerous flat longitudinal fibres in a thin layer of flesh. The black, ovoid- ellipsoid fruits are up to 13mm long and 7mm in diameter[].

The palm heart has been used as a famine food, for example in the Second World War. 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[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe, it can take 70 - 112 days to germinate..

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