Phoenix loureiri (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Phoenix loureiri Kunth

Family: Palmae

Synonyms

Phoenix hanceana Naudin.

Vernacular names

• Philippines: voyayoi, voyavoy, suot (Ivatan)
• Thailand: peng
• Vietnam: chà là dồi.

Distribution

From the sub-Himalayan belt southwards through India and eastwards through Indo-China to southern China, Taiwan and the Philippines (Batanes and Sabtang Islands).

Uses

The hard, durable and rain-resistant leaves are used for rough fencing. The leaflets have many domestic uses, such as the manufacture of mats, hats, baskets and brooms. In the Philippines, split leaflets are woven into effective raincapes ("vakol" and "suot", the latter referring to hooded capes worn by women). The apical bud can be eaten as a vegetable. The fruits are sweet and are commonly eaten by children. The floury pith is eaten after baking or some other form of preparation.

Observations

A dioecious solitary or clustering palm; stem up to 5 m tall, up to 40 cm in diameter. Leaves up to 2 m long; pseudo-petiole 20-40 cm long; leaflets fascicled in 3s and 4s, up to 130 on each side of the rachis, 20-45 cm × 0.5- 2.3 cm, flaccid or stiff. Inflorescence unisexual; male inflorescence erect; peduncle up to 15 cm long; female inflorescence erect, arching with fruit maturity; peduncle up to 1.5 m long. Fruit an ovoid to obovoid, 1-seeded berry, 1.8 cm × 0.9 cm, blue-black when ripe. P. loureiri is found up to 1700 m altitude in various habitats. It prefers sunny locations and is common in disturbed, anthropogenic areas such as seasonally-burnt grassland, along roads, and on raised ground bordering paddy fields.

Selected sources

10, 19, 20, 35, 90, 91, 149, 187.

Authors

M. Brink, P.C.M. Jansen & C.H. Bosch