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Salacca wallichiana Mart.

Family Name:	Arecaceae (Palmae)
Synonyms:	Calamus zalacca Roxb., Salacca edulis Whitmore non Reinw., Zalacca edulis Wall. non Reinw., Zalacca rumphii Blume., Zalacca beccarii Hook.f., Zalacca macrostachya Griff.
Common Name:	Rakam, Rakum, Kumbar, Salak Kumbar, Salak Rengam

Found in swampy areas, Salacca wallichiana is a clustering spiny palm with huge leaves that can reach up to 7 m long. It produces sweet tasting fruits that are densely covered with reddish brown spiny scales.

Full Sun

Moderate Water

Fruit or Vegetable

Clustering Habit

Palm

Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Name Authority
Synonyms
Common Names
Comments
Species Summary

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division	Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants)
Plant Growth Form	Palm
Lifespan (in Singapore)	Perennial

Mode of Nutrition	Autotrophic
Maximum Height	12 m

Biogeography

Native Distribution	Myanmar, Vietnam, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra
Native Habitat	Terrestrial
Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical

Local Conservation Status

Non-native

Description and Ethnobotany

Growth Form	It is a clustering dioecious palm, up to 12 m tall with stem up to 0.2 m wide and presence of many adventitious roots.
Foliage	There are 12 – 18 leaves on each stem. The leaves are about 5 – 7 m long, pinnate with 40 – 60 leaflets on each side, and cluster in groups of 2 – 5. The leaflets are sigmoid shaped (70 – 100 cm long and 8 cm wide) and point in different directions. The sheath and petiole are heavily armed with black spines in whorls of up to 8 cm long.
Flowers	Each stem bears 2 – 3 inflorescence stalks. They emerge through the groove on the leaf base. The male inflorescence reaches up to 2 – 3 m long, and has 10 first order branches. The female inflorescence reaches up to 0.7 m long and has fewer branches compared to the male inflorescence. Both branches are reddish and spike-like (up to 10 cm long). Flowers are 3-lobed with non-overlapping petals. Male flower has 6 stamens and occurs in a pair (dyads), while the female flower occurs in solitary or in a pair with a sterile male flower.

Fruit	Fruit is obovate shaped (7 – 8 cm long and 4 – 5 cm wide) with apical stigmatic remains. The fruit is densely covered with reddish brown spiny scales and has 1 – 3 seeds within. The seeds are covered with edible and sweet tasting flesh (sarcotesta).
Habitat	It is found in swampy areas.
Associated Fauna	It is pollinated mainly by insects.
Taxonomy	The species is quite variable. There is one form with complete absence of spines on the leaf sheath, petiole and rachis, and another form that is unarmed.
Etymology	The species epithet honours Nathaniel Wallich, 19th century Danish botanist and surgeon who had described many new species of plant and made a large herbarium collection.
Ethnobotanical Uses	Edible Plant Parts : Edible Fruits Food (Fruit or Vegetable): Ripe fruits are eaten raw, taste sweet and said to be rich in vitamin B. Others: In rural areas, the palm is reportedly used for construction, roof thatching and making of cork.

Landscaping Features

Usage Hazard - Cons	Spines/Thorns - Leaf, Spines/Thorns - Stem/Branch, Spines/Thorns - Trunk

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference	Full Sun
Water Preference	Moderate Water
Plant Growth Rate	Moderate

Rootzone Tolerance

Waterlogged Soils

Foliar

Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green
Foliar Shape(s)	Palm Fronds (Pinnate / Feather)

Non - Foliar and Storage

Trunk Type (Palm)	Clustering Habit

References

References	Barfod, A.S. & Dransfield, J. (2013). Arecaceae. In Santisuk, T. & Larsen, K. (eds) Flora of Thailand, vol 11, part 3, pp. 323-498. Bangkok: The Forest Herbarium, National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department. Polprasid, P. (1992) Salacca wallichiana In: Verheij, E.W.M., Coronel, R.E. (eds) Plant Resources of South-East Asia Volume 2, Edible Fruits and Nuts. pp. 278-281. Indonesia: Prosea Foundation.

References

Barfod, A.S. & Dransfield, J. (2013). Arecaceae. In Santisuk, T. & Larsen, K. (eds) Flora of Thailand, vol 11, part 3, pp. 323-498. Bangkok: The Forest Herbarium, National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department.

Polprasid, P. (1992) Salacca wallichiana In: Verheij, E.W.M., Coronel, R.E. (eds) Plant Resources of South-East Asia Volume 2, Edible Fruits and Nuts. pp. 278-281. Indonesia: Prosea Foundation.

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Master ID	30825
Species ID	5180
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.

Species record last updated on: 19 August 2021.