Plant of the Week – Borassus flabellifer L.

Borassus flabellifer L. commonly known as the Karimpana (M), Palmyra palm or Toddy palm (E) is a tall and robust palm species. These dioecious palm tree is one of the star plant as per the Hindu mythology (Uthrattathi) and is further cited in Hortus Malabaricus by Van Rheede (Vol. I). They are further characterized by simple, palmate or plicately multifid leaves, spadices inter – foliar, large, dioecious and branched; peduncle sheathed with open spathes. Male flowers small, clustered; bracts scaly, sepals 3, petals 3, stamens 6. Female flowers large, globose. Perianth fleshy, accrescent. Sepals reniform, imbricate. Petals smaller, convolute. Ovary globose, entire or 3-or-1-cleft, Fruits a drupe, globose, yellow when ripe, with 1-3 compressed pyrenes.

This plant is further widely valued for its multiple uses — the fruit is rich in nutrients and cooling in nature, the sap is used to make jaggery and fermented drinks, and the leaves are traditionally used for writing and thatching. They are presently not listed as threatened and is considered a species of Least Concern (LC) by conservation authorities and is widely cultivated and naturally propagated. However, habitat loss and declining interest in traditional uses pose great threats. Conservation efforts emphasizing sustainable harvesting and cultural preservation can be done inorder to conserve this disappearing taxa. In addition, its ability to thrive in arid conditions makes it valuable for agroforestry systems. Ahalia campus is the only place in Kerala where you can see the natural forest like appearance of this Borassus flabellifer (Palmyra palm). Green Ahalia is trying to produce as many as seedlings and try to grow in more extended area.

For more details : greenahalia@ahhkv.org