Actinorhytis calapparia H.Wendl. & Drude

A tall palm with a narrow trunk. The trunk is grey-brown with a bright green crownshaft. It has an appearance a little like a coconut. It grows 20-30 m high. The fronds are divided along the leaf stalk into narrow leaflets. These have a sharp point. These leaflets (pinnae) have one strong mid-nerve and 4-5 parallel side veins. The leaf sheath is about 1-1.3 m long. The flowering stalk comes from below the crownshaft. It has one stiff main axis and 4-5 stiff side branches. Then there are many twigs which hang down. The whole flowering stalk is about 1 m long. There are 2 spathes or leaf like structures protecting the flowering palm stalk. These are about 1 m long. The flowers are of separate sexes both on the same tree. At the base of the flowering stalk there is one female flower to 2 male flowers but towards the tip the flowers are only male. Female flowers are larger than the male. The fruit are round and 4-5 cm across. The young nut has a juicy kernel. The nut has grooves spreading out like rays from the centre.

A tropical plant. It is widespread in Papua New Guinea. It grows in rainforest. It grows in well-drained rich soil with an abundance of moisture. It grows up to 1,000 m altitude. It grows in the Loyalty and Treasury Islands.

The young nut is chewed like betel nut. It is very strong. The palm heart is eaten.

Plants can be grown from seeds.