Pinanga tashiroi

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A palm. It grows less than 5 m tall. The trunk is 20 cm across. It is swollen at the base and grey-white. The leaves are compound with leaflets along the stalk. The leaves are 2 m long. The leaves are deep green. The leaflets are narrow and 60 cm long by 2-2.5 cm wide. The sheath is 1 m long. The flowers are of separate sexes and on the same plant. The fruit is oval and 1.8 cm long by 1.2 cm across. They are deep red. They contain one seed.

There are 30 Pinanga species.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It occurs on Lanyu Island, Taiwan. It grows in lowland rain forests below 500 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Taiwan (country/location of origin)

How it is used for food

The seeds are chewed as a substitute for betel nut.

Edible parts

Seeds - masticatory

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Pseudopinanga tashiroi (Hayata) Burret; Pinanga bavensis auct. non Becc.;