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Areca catechu
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Family:
ARECACEAE/PALMAE
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Citation: Areca catechu L., Sp. Pl. 1189. 1753; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 405. 1893; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 1555(1085). 1931; Manilal & Sivar., Fl. Calicut 300. 1982; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 425. 1984; Ansari, Fl. Kasaragod Div. 397. 1985; Ramach. & V.J. Nair, Fl. Cannanore Dist. 491. 1988; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist. 525. 1990; Antony, Syst. Stud. Fl. Kottayam Dist. 414. 1989; M. Mohanan & Henry, Fl. Thiruvanthapuram 490. 1994; Subram., Fl. Thenmala Div. 406. 1995; Sasidh., Fl. Shenduruny WLS 355. 1997; Sasidh. & Sivar., Fl. Pl. Thrissur For. 481. 1996; Sivar. & Mathew, Fl. Nilambur 747. 1997; Renuka, Palms Kerala 43. 1999; Anil Kumar et al., Fl. Pathanamthitta 521. 2005; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 713. 2009; Ratheesh Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 899. 2009.
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Malayalam Name(s):
Adakkamaram, Adakka, Chempalukka, Kavungu, Kazhangu, Pakku
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Tamil name(s):
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English name(s):
Areca palm, Betel nut plam, Pinang
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Description:
Stem erect, hooped, unarmed. Leaves in a terminal crown, to 2 m long; leaflets many, linear or linear-lanceolate, base narrow, apex praemorse; lower ones plicate; upper ones coherent, nerves 2-5 or more, prominent. Spadices several on the axils of fallen leaves, to 50 cm long, branched, shortly peduncled; spikes flexuous or straight, to 30 cm long. Spathes boat-like, coriaceous. Flowers monoecious; lower ones female, 1-3 at spike-base; upper ones male, many. Male flowers: c. 3 mm long; sepals 3, c. 1 mm long, triangular; petals 3, c. 2.5 mm, ovate, white; stamens 6; pistillode 2-fid. Female flowers: c. 1.3 cm long; sepals c. 7 mm, obovate; petals to 1 cm; ovary to 8 mm, oblong, 1-celled, ovule solitary. Fruit to 4 x 2.5 cm, with fibrous mesocarps, orange-red in colour.
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Habit:
Tree
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Flowering & Fruiting:
Throughout the year
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District(s):
All Districts
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Medicinal:
Yes
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Habitat:
Cultivated
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Distribution:
Cultivated from India to the Solomon Islands and less commonly in Africa and Tropical America
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Aquatic:
No
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Epiphyte(s):
No
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Saprophyte:
No
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Stem parasite:
No
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Root parasite:
No
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Flower colour(s):
White
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Weed:
No
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Monocot/Dicot:
Monocotyledonous Plants
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Exotic:
No
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Garden:
No
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Edible:
No
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Vegetable:
No
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Endemic to:
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IUCN status:
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Altitude:
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Localities:
Bhavani river bank, Mukkali forests, Siruvani slopes, Beemanadi, Pooyamkutty, Choodal forests, Hereford, Kulananda
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