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Corypha umbraculifera
| Family Name: | Arecaceae (Palmae) |
| Common Name: | Talipot Palm, Great Fan Palm, Gebang |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Growth Form | Palm (Solitary Habit) |
|---|---|
| Maximum Height | 27 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | India, Myanmar, Sri lanka, Thailand |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | Corypha umbraculifera has a solitary trunk, which can grow up to 27 m high with a trunk diameter up to 90 cm. Trunk is ringed with fallen leaf base scar. It can live up to 80 years. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Leaves are large (up to 2.1 m long and 6 m wide), fan-shaped with petiole (up to 4m long) armed with black teeth. There is a large hastula at the juncture of leaf blade and leaf stalk. |
| Flowers | It produce one inflorescence at the terminal end. The inflorescence is about 9 m tall and 12 m wide, making the largest inflorescence in the world. Inflorescence comprises roughly of 24 million tiny yellowish-white flowers. Corypha umbraculifera flowers just once in its lifetime and dies afterwards. |
| Fruit | Fruit is round (3 – 8 cm diameter) and ripens from green to brown. |
| Cultivation | It grows well on well drained and fertile soil. It also requires a lot of space to grow and reach its maximum height. Fresh seeds germinate within 120 days. |
| Etymology | The genus name Corypha is greek for summit, referring to the giant terminal inflorescence. The epithet umbraculifera is latin for shade bearing, an allusion to the giant leaves and huge crown. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Food (Fruit or Vegetable) Others: Starchy pith are harvested to make alcoholic beverages and palm heart is eaten as a vegetable. Leaves are used for thatching. |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Well-Drained Soils, Fertile Loamy Soils |
Foliar
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
|---|---|
| Foliar Shape(s) | Palm Fronds (Fan / Costapalmate) |
| Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio | 2.5 (Palm - Solitary) |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Trunk Type (Palm) | Solitary Habit, Aboveground |
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Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower Colour(s) | Cream / Off-White |
|---|---|
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Brown |
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Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 1324 |
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| Species ID | 2617 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |