Arenga wightii Griff

A clump forming palm. It grows 6 m tall. There are a few crowded, black, fibrous trunks. The crown has arching leaves. The leaves are 2-3 m long. The leaves have long, narrow, leaflets. There are small teeth and lobes along the edges of the leaflets. The leaflets are 30 cm long and 5 cm wide. The leaflets are white or silvery underneath. The leaflets spread out in a flat layer each side of the stalk. The fruit are blackish and round. They are 2 cm across and contain 3 seeds.

A tropical plant. It grows in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu. It needs to grow in a sheltered position.

The sap is tapped from the fruit stalk. The fruit is chewed as a substitute for betel nut. The pith is sweetish and edible.