Basselinia glabrata

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A solitary palm. It grows 13 m high. The trunk is 12 cm across. It is light grey. The crown-shaft is olive-green. It is 45 cm long. The leaves are on short leaf stalks. The leaves are 45 cm long and have 24 pairs of leaflets. These are slightly S shaped and are 45 cm long. There are several flowering stalks at one time at different stages of maturity on one plant. Each flowering stalk has male and female flowers. The fruit are 10 cm long. They are black when mature.

This is a palm under threat of extinction. Plants should be cultivated before harvesting, not collected from the wild. (There is only one Alloschmidia species.)

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It needs a moist, well drained soil. It grows in the undergrowth of the rainforest. It does not suit high pH soils.

Countries/locations it is found in

New Caledonia, Pacific

How it is used for food

Harvesting the palm heart kills the palm.

Edible parts

Palm heart, cabbage

How it is grown

It is a slow growing palm.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Alloschmidia glabrata (Becc.) H. E. Moore;