Botanical Description
The Areca Palm (Areca catechu) or Bunga as it is locally known is a slender palm that can reach up to 30 meters tall, the trunk is mottled with leaf scars. Its crownshaft is green and its leaves are around 1.5 to 2 meters long with 30 to 50 leaflets on each leaf, the leaves tend to curve in on itself as it ages. The florets are borne upon a panicle that emerges just below the crownshaft with an associated bract, the florets are a creamy-white in color. The male and female flowers are separated spatially with the pistillate flowers typically being found closer to the base while the staminate flowers are closer to the apical end. Its fruits are drupe that is initially green but ripens into yellow and then red. Although endemic to the Philippines it has become more widespread due to betel nut chewing, a practice known locally as “nganga”.
Uses:
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The plant is primarily used for the practice of betel nut chewing which has stimulant properties. It is a social practice among South and Southeast Asian countries including the Philippines, although the practice has fallen out of favor locally in the past few decades.
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The young leaves can also be eaten.