Hiliuasiu
Pinanga rigida
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
A small slender palm. The trunk is brown and ringed. It grows 5 m tall. The leaves have numerous segments which are inserted at a very sharp angle. They are 1-ribbed, sword shaped, and straight. There is a single vein in the leaflets. The flower arrangement is a spike of flowers along a central stalk with several branches in a spiral. The fruit are oval and 13 to 15 mm by 6 to 7 mm. They are dark red and velvety when mature. The seed is oval and the embryo at an angle.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. They occur in mossy forests at altitudes of 1200 to 1800 m throughout the Philippines.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Pacific, Philippines, SE Asia
How it is used for food
The bud is cooked and eaten as a vegetable.
Edible parts
Cabbage, palm heart