Wallich's disticha palm, Fan-shaped feathery palm
Wallichia disticha
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
A palm. It grows 6 m high. The trunk is fibrous and covered with old leaf bases. These form an interesting pattern. The leaves are 2.4-3 m long, The leaves are feather like and arranged in 2 opposite rows on each side of the trunk. This makes the palm appear flat from one side. The leaflets are broad and with ragged edges. They are grouped in bundles. The flowering stalk appears amongst the leaf bases. It is very large with thousands of fruit. The fruit are round and 1.5 cm across. They are dark red when ripe.
There are 7 Wallichia species.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows in the hilly districts in the foothills of the Himalayas. They grow to about 600 m altitude in the Himalayas. It will grow to 1200 m altitude in N India. It can grow on sandy granitic soils or limestone rocks. Seedlings are fairly sensitive to the cold. In Yunnan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar (country/location of origin), Nepal, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Sikkim, Singapore, Thailand
How it is used for food
The starch from the stem is edible. The fruit are eaten.
It is a famine food.
Edible parts
Starch, pith, fruit
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seeds.
It is very fast growing. It is short lived. Plants can reach 7 m in 10-15 years. They then flower and die 4-5 years later.
Its other names
Local names
Katong, Ketong, Letme, Min-baw, Palem walih distica, Tali, Tashe, Taw-ohn, Thakal, Zanaung