Bentinckia condapanna is also known as the Hill Areca Nut palm. It is found only in Southern India and is threatened by habitat loss. This palm is mainly found growing on the steep rocky slopes and cliffs in the rainforests of the southern Western Ghats or Sahyadri mountain range, which runs almost parallel to the western coast of the Indian peninsula. This area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the eight “hottest hotspots” of biological diversity in the world. The Bentinckia condapanna is listed as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, which means it is facing a significant risk of extinction in coming years.
This palm grows up to 10m tall with the girth of about 15 cm, and likes a lot of sun. Flowers and nuts can be seen throughout the year. Native tribes are known to eat the heart of this palm.
Named in honor of Lord William Gavendish Bentick (Governor of Madras, India, 1803-1807), this palm was once common but has been reduced to rarity by land clearing, as well as being eaten by elephants, who like the palm’s cabbage.
The Merwin Palm Collection contains five of these palm species, all in the seedling stage of life.
PHOTO: By PJeganathan, [CC BY-SA 3.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons
Want to “virtually explore” the Merwin Palm Collection? Search through our archive of Palm Facts of the Week, featuring palms hand-planted by W.S Merwin. To search through the Online Merwin Palm Database, visit this link.
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