Enu palm, Marquesas palm, Pelagodoxa palm
Pelagodoxa henryana
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
A large palm. It can be 7 m high. It is fairly slender. The trunk is about 15 cm across. The leaves are entire and 2 m long by 1 m wide. They are bright green above and whitish underneath. The leaves are undivided but they may get shredded by the wind. The leaf stalks are covered by scaly, felt like hairs. The flowering stalks are among the leaf bases. They are 50-60 cm long. The male and female flowers are yellow and separate but occur on the one stalk. The fruit are large. They can be 10 cm across and covered with rough corky projections. Single plants can set seed.
There is only one Pelagodoxa species. It is an endangered plant.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows in dense lowland rainforests up to 135 m above sea level. It is very sensitive to cold. It needs a somewhat protected position. It needs a well drained soil. It suits hot humid conditions. In Cairns Botanical Gardens. In Brisbane Botanical Gardens hothouse. In Townsville palmetum.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, French Polynesia, Hawaii, Indonesia, Marquesas Islands (country/location of origin), Pacific, SE Asia, South America, Tahiti, Venezuela
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Nuts
How it is grown
Plants are grown from seed. Seed are slow and erratic to germinate. To assist, the fruit are left on the ground until the corky outer layer rots away. The hard covering of the seed is cracked.
Its other names
Local names
Palem enu, Palem pelago