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

Rhopaloblaste singaporensis

Syn. Ptychosperma singaporense

IUCN Red List Near Threatened (NT)

Local name

  • Singapore Walking-stick Palm (English)
  • Kerinting, Rintin (Malay)

Tree type

Evergreen Deciduous
Family: Arecaceae
5m

Indicated uses

Medicinal Edible Ornamental Avenue Other

Flowering & fruiting

Flowering Fruiting

Key characters

Rhopaloblaste singaporensis bark

Bark

Stems slender, woody, ringed; old leaf sheaths persist on the stem after the leaf stalk breaks off, hiding the crownshaft.

Rhopaloblaste singaporensis leaves

Leaves

Leaves are pinnately compound, smooth, green, with leaflets in two rows along the rachis; leaf stalk up to about 70 cm long.

Rhopaloblaste singaporensis flower

Flower

Inflorescences 20–35 cm long, arising below the crown from among the old leaf sheaths. Flowers small, orange to yellowish.

Rhopaloblaste singaporensis fruit / seeds

Fruit / Seeds

Fruits small, smooth, about 1–1.2 cm long, ripening yellowish-orange to red; one seed per fruit.

Rhopaloblaste singaporensis

Did you know?

It is the only species of the genus Rhopaloblaste with clustering stems. Its straight, slender stems are traditionally used to make walking sticks and handles, and the fruits are edible. Though globally listed as Lower Risk, it is Critically Endangered within Singapore.

Distribution

World map showing distribution

Peninsula Malaysia.