Pinanga sylvestris

Pinanga (pih-NAHN-gah) sylvestris (sihl-VEHS-tris)
Thailand. Photo by Paul Craft
Scientific Classification
Genus: Pinanga (pih-NAHN-gah) Species: sylvestris (sihl-VEHS-tris)
Synonyms
Pinanga cochinchinensis pre-1998
Native Continent
Asia
Morphology
Habit: Clustering Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Chocolate Cane Palm

Habitat and Distribution

China; South-Central, Assam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Khao Yai National Park, Thailand. "Photo by Olivier Reilhes"

Lowland or montane rain forest, 100-1750 m elevation.

Description

Stems clustered, to 6 m tall, 1.5-3.5 cm in diam., reddish brown. Leaves pinnate; sheaths closed and forming crownshafts, 17-45 cm, green or yellowish with reddish scales; petioles 10-25 cm; rachis 1-1.3 m; pinnae 10-28 per side of rachis, green abaxially, linear, distantly spaced, regularly arranged; middle pinnae 39-60 x 2-5 cm. Inflorescences branched, pendulous, occasionally erect; peduncles 2.5-6 x about 0.7 cm; rachis 0.5-2.5 cm; rachillae 3-8, 9-26 cm, zigzag, triangular in cross section, glabrous; triads distichously arranged, superficial on rachillae; male flowers not seen; female flowers to 3 mm; sepals to 3 mm, rounded at apex, ciliate; petals to 3 mm, ciliate. Fruits red, ellipsoid, 1.4-1.8 x 0.5-0.7 cm. (eFloras.org) Editing by edric.

Culture

Cold Hardiness Zone: 9b

Comments and Curiosities

Widespread through Southeast Asia, this palm grows in the undergrowth of cooler rainforests, usually above 1000 m (3300 ft.). It is a clustering species with slender, reddish brown canes to about 5 m (17 ft.) tall, and finely pinnate leaves that unfold in a beautiful pinkish or reddish tone, then turn into a deep green. (RPS.com)