Eden

Penang Botanic Gardens Plant Collection

Areca catechu L. (ARECACEAE)

Posted at — Nov 13, 2019
Betel Nut

Description

Solitary feather-leafed palm growing c. 15 m tall, 20-30 cm diameter. Crownshaft green, with 6-8 arching leaves to crown; fronds 2.4 m long, leaflets regularly arranged, longest leaflets c. 60 cm long. Old fronds abscised cleanly from trunk. Inflorescence much branched just below crown shaft, with cream coloured flowers. Fruits in a massive branch, green ripening yellow to red, ellipsoid, c. 4-5 cm long.


Distribution

Origin unknown, probably native in the Philippines.

Uses

Widely planted for the nuts. Betel nuts contain mildly narcotic and locals have chewed them mixed with leave of the pepper vine (Piper betle) and slaked lime and sometimes additional herbs and spices, to obtain the narcotic effect.