Nypa fruticans

Jkwinston · #1

: Montgomery Botanical Center; IMG_4405x.jpg (130.6 KiB) Viewed 1319 times

: Montgomery Botanical Center; IMG_4406x.jpg (134.95 KiB) Viewed 1319 times

#2

AKA Mangrove Palm. This is one of the few palms that actually lives and thrives with its roots and lower leaves in water at all times. It is a very tropical palm, with very little cold tolerance. Grown for its extremely long leaves (up to 30') and used for thatch and other palm leaf construction projects. It appears to be trunkless, but it does develop short trunks- they just stay underwater or lie flat along or under the mud. Fruits are edible and tasty (had some in 'Thailand). It is not clear where this palm is native to, but it is found all over the old world tropics in estuaries and swamps (usually where some running water- does not do great in stagnant water).

Plants in Vietnam... photos by Nick Cox