Borassus
From Freepedia
| Borassus | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||
| Species | ||||||||||||
|
See text |
Borassus (Palmyra Palm) is a genus of five species of palms, native to tropical regions of Africa, Asia and New Guinea. They are tall palms, capable of growing up to 30 m high. The leaves are long, fan-shaped, 2 to 3 m in length. The flowers are small, in densely clustered spikes, followed by large, brown, roundish fruits.
- Species
- Borassus aethiopium - African Palmyra Palm (tropical Africa)
- Borassus flabellifer - Asian Palmyra Palm (southern Asia)
- Borassus heineanus - New Guinea Palmyra Palm (New Guinea)
- Borassus madagascariensis - Madagascar Palmyra Palm (Madagascar)
- Borassus sambiranensis - Sambirano Palmyra Palm (Madagascar)
Cultivation and uses
Palmyra Palms are economically useful, and widely cultivated in tropical regions.
The palmyra palm has long been one of the most important trees of India, where it is used over 800 different ways. The leaves are used for thatching, mats, baskets, fans, hats, umbrellas, and writing paper. The stalks are used to make fences and also produce a strong, wiry fiber suitable for cordage and brushes. The black timber is hard, heavy, and durable and is highly valued for construction.
The tree also yields many types of food. The young plants are cooked as a vegetable or roasted and pounded to make meal. The fruits are eaten roasted or raw, and the young, jellylike seeds are eaten also. A sugary sap, called toddy, can be obtained from the flower buds. Toddy is fermented to make a beverage called arrack, or it is concentrated to a crude sugar called jaggery. It is called Gula Jawa (Javanese Sugar) in Indonesia and is widely used in the Javanese Cuisine. In addition, the tree sap is taken as a laxative, and medicinal values have been ascribed to other parts of the plant.
