Cape York palm
Hydriastele costata

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A slender palm. It grows 35 m tall. The stem is 15-35 cm across. The crown has 12-35 leaves. The crown of leaves forms a circle. The leaves are 2.4-5.5 m long with a sheath 50-180 cm long. The leaves have 58-75 leaflets on each side. The flowering shoot is 58-100 cm long and it is branched 2 or 3 times. The fruit are 8-10 mm long by 6 mm wide. They ripen to red and then dark purple and blackish. The seed is about 5.5 mm long by 4.5 mm wide.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in sago swamps. It grows from sea level to 700 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, SE Asia

How it is used for food

In Papua New Guinea it is very common and also planted near villages.

Edible parts

Seeds, shoot tips, cabbage

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Avos, Kaparo, Korr, Mabla, Oratare, Poi, Tab, Tabavo, Tabuh, Yawa, Yuhar

Synonyms

Gulubia affinis Becc.; Gulubia costata (Becc.) Becc.; Gulubia costata var. gracilior Burret; Kentia costata Becc.; Pinanga pisiformis Teijsm. ex Becc.; and others