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Bentinckia nicobarica
| Family Name: | Arecaceae (Palmae) |
| Synonyms: | Orania nicobarica |
| Common Name: | Bentinck Palm, Nicobar Palm, 本亭琪亚棕 |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Growth Form | Palm (Solitary Habit) |
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| Maximum Height | 15 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Nicobar Islands |
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Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | A tall, slender, solitary, fast-growing, medium-sized palm with arching pinnate (feather-like) fronds and a striking light green crown shaft. |
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| Trunk | Trunk solitary, slender, green (with a white, waxy coating), prominently ringed with old leaf scars; crownshaft prominent, light green. |
| Foliage | Fronds pinnate (fether-shaped), arching to spreading, becomin pendulous, up to 1.8 m long; petioles twisted, somewhat glabrous (smooth; not rough or hairy), tubular; leaflets single-fold (basal leaflet sometimes merging), covered with small brown scales on both sides. |
| Others - Plant Morphology | Flower: Inflorescences infrafoliar (arising from below the lowest frond), cream, spirally arranged. Fruit: Fruits globose to ovoid, about 1 cm diameter, ripening from red to black, single-seeded; seeds glossy, brown, conspicuously grooved on one side. |
| Cultivation | Prefers full sun, but can also do well in partial shade. Requires a humid location with consistently moist and well-drained soil. Propagate by seeds that germinates in 2 to 4 months. |
| Etymology | The genus epithet 'Bentinckia' honours after William Henry Cavendish Bentinck, 18th and 19th century Governor-General of the East Indies, while its species epithet 'nicobarica' refers to the Nicobar Islands where it originates from. |
Landscaping Features
| Landscape Uses | Suitable for Roadsides |
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Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun |
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| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate |
Foliar
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
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| Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio | 2.5 (Palm - Solitary) |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Trunk Type (Palm) | Solitary Habit, Aboveground |
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Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower Colour(s) | Cream / Off-White |
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Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Black |
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Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 1305 |
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| Species ID | 2598 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |