Elegant palm
Rhopaloblaste elegans
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
A medium sized slender palm. It grows about 12 m tall and is 9-15 cm across. It has a swollen base. The trunk is light grey. It has a densely scaly crown-shaft. This is 1 m long. The leaves spread out. They are 3.3 m long. The leaflets are narrow, light green, stiff and papery. They are 60 cm long. They are bent downwards at 45° to the stalk. They are regularly and closely spaced. They fruit change from yellow to orange then red during ripening. The fruit are round or oval and covered with a blue-green bloom when fresh.
There are 6-7 Rhopaloblaste species. There are 3 in New Guinea.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It is abundant in dense forest in the Solomon Islands. It grows on limestone soils. It needs shade protection while young. In Cairns Botanical Gardens.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, Indonesia, Pacific, SE Asia, Solomon Islands (country/location of origin)
How it is used for food
The fruit can be used as a betel nut substitute during times of betel nut scarcity.
Edible parts
Fruit - masticatory
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seeds.
Its other names
Local names
Palem anggun