Caryota urens L.

Scientific Name: Caryota urens L.

Family: Arecaceae

Common Name: Fishtail Palm

Hindi Name: माड़ी

Description: Trunk solitary, annulate, erect, up to 12 m tall, 60-90 cm thick. Leaves up to 3.5 m or more long and up to 3 m wide, arising successively along the trunk for a good distance below the summit. Leaflets obliquely truncate, 1.2-1.5 m long, alternate, swollen at the point of insertion, outer margin of the leaflets produced into a narrow point, bright green from the lower side; petiole stout; sheath smooth, margin fibrous. Inflorescence axillary, very large, 3 m or more long, pendulous, once branched, branches of equal length. Peduncle curved, thick, enveloped with large bracts, male flowers much larger than the female flowers, longer than broad, slender; calyx 3-lobed, sepal’s margin ciliate; corolla 3-lobed, valvate, woody; stamens 40-45, as long as the petals, anthers acuminate, basifixed, filaments 1-1.5 mm long; pistillode absent; female flower: sepals as in the male; petals 3, lobes valvate, short; staminodes 3. Fruit small, juicy. Seeds 1-2.

Economic Importance: It produces strong fibres which are made into ropes, brushes and baskets. It also yields toddy.

Medicinal Importance: The nuts are used medicinally to allay thirst and in the case of hamicrania. The fruit is capable of irritating the skin and causing a burning sensation.