Bentinckia nicobarica

Bentinckia (ben-tink-EE-ah) nicobarica (nik-oh-bar-EE-kah)
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Florida. Photo by Dr. Carl E. Lewis, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden/Palmweb.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Bentinckia (ben-tink-EE-ah) Species: nicobarica (nik-oh-bar-EE-kah)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Asia
Morphology
Habit: Solitary Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Nicobar palm

Habitat and Distribution

Bentinckia nicobarica is endemic to the Nicobar Is.

Hawaiian Tropical Botanical Garden.

They lie along the eastern edge of the Bay of Bengal. Found in lowland rainforest of Nicobar island.

Description

It grows about 20 m tall and girth is about 25 cm. A solitary palm, it has arching pinnate leaves and a light green crown shaft. Fruit globular, black, about 1 cm diameter, and the single seed is grooved on one side. It is generally seen along with other palm species such as Areca catechu, Pinanga manii and Rhopaloblaste augusta. Editing by edric.

Culture

Cold Hardiness Zone: 10a

Comments and Curiosities

Uses: The stems are used by the local people in house and fence construction.

"This an atttractive tropical palm that at first glance looks a bit like a King Palm, until you notice the slightly arched leaves and the exceptionally long, yellow-green crownshaft with the slight bulge at the base. It also is slightly, more prominently ringed than most Archontophoenix. This is not a palm I can grow in California, but I have seen it nicely grown, in several landscape situations in tropical climates." (Geoff Stein), edric.