Statue of Unity – Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat Rain Forest Ektanagar

Arenga wightii

Syn. Saguerus wightii

IUCN Red List Vulnerable (VU)

Local name

  • Malabar Sago Palm (English)
  • Dhudsal (Marathi)
  • Betta Thengu (Kannada)

Tree type

Evergreen Deciduous
Family: Arecaceae
6m

Indicated uses

Medicinal Edible Ornamental Avenue Other

Flowering & fruiting

Flowering Fruiting

Key characters

Arenga wightii bark

Bark

Grey, densely clothed with the black fibrous remains of the leaf sheaths.

Arenga wightii leaves

Leaves

Pinnate, 3.5–8 m long, with linear, sword-shaped leaflets 30–100 × 2–2.5 cm, dark green above, glaucous beneath, with asymmetrical, eared bases and entire to toothed margins.

Arenga wightii flower

Flower

Male and female spadices separated, 1 m long. It is a monocarpic palm, which flowers once and then dies.

Arenga wightii fruit / seeds

Fruit / Seeds

Berry is hard, spherical, 2-3 seeded.

Arenga wightii

Did you know?

The Muthuvan forest-dwelling community of Idukki traditionally uses this plant for its starchy pith and collects toddy by tapping the inflorescences. Fruits contain irritating calcium oxalate crystals.

Distribution

World map showing distribution

Western Ghats.