Areca catechu

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Arecales
Family: Arecaceae
Genus: Areca
Species: A.catechu
Scientific Name: Areca catechu L.

Common name:
English: Betel palm, Betel nut palm, Areca nut.
Hindi: Chamarpushpa, Guvak, Guwa, Khapor, Pug, Pugi.
Kannada: Adike, Bettadh adike, Adake.
Marathi: Pophali, Pugaphal, Pugiphala, Supari.

Description:

1. Habit and Habitat: Tall tree, tropical ever wet climates with evenly distributed rainfall, cultivated.
2. Distribution: Grows in much of the tropical specific, Asia, and parts of East Africa. Believed to have originated in Philippines, but is white spread in cultivation and is considered naturalized in Southern.
3. Morphology:
   Leaf: long, pinnate with numerous crowded leaflets.
   Infloroscence: Crowded, much branched panicles.
   Flower: Of both sexes possessing 6 tepals, stockless, creamy white, fragrant. Male flowers are minute, deciduous.Female flowers are larger.
   Androceium: 6 stamens, arrow head-shaped anthers.
   Gynoceium: Ovary, 3 celled bearing a triangular stigma with 3points at the apex.
   Fruit: Monolocular, one seeded berry, 3.8-5cm long, smooth orange or scarlet when ripe, with fibrous outer layer.
   Seeds: void, brown but flattered at one end.
4. Propagation: by seeds.
5. Importance:
   Areca nut is popular for chewing. Nut itself can be addictive and has direct link to oral cancers. It is used against anaemia, fits, leucoderma, leprosy and obesity. An ointment for nasal ulcers. Used to treat tape worms. Flowers are used for healing of the sick in Borneo. Chewing on the seeds produces Euphoria, heightened alertness,sweating, salivation and an increased capacity to work. Husk fibres are used to make thick boats fluffy cushions and non wowen fabric and also used widely for a variety of construction purposes.
6. Location: Anant Manohar Garden.