Originating in India, the Lontar Palm (Siwalan or Borassus flabellifer) is widely distributed to Papua New Guinea, Africa, Australia, Southeast Asia, and other tropical parts of Asia. In Indonesia, it is commonly found in eastern Java, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, and Sulawesi.

It is a versatile tree where all parts have uses. It is commonly utilized as a medicinal plant, a source of sap (nira) and sugar, and a craft material.

Siwalan grows in lowlands, coastal areas up to mountains (0–800 meters above sea level). It easily adapts to dry areas. The optimum temperature is ± 30 °C, with an average rainfall of 500–2,000 mm/year. It grows ideally in hydromorphic alluvial, dark gray alluvial, yellow-gray, red latosol, and reddish-brown latosol soils.

• Root: Fibrous root, long, and large.

• Stem: Single trunk, cylindrical, robust, erect, straight, blackish bark color.

• Leaves: Fan-like, round, stiff, palmate (finger-like lobes), grayish-green. The midrib and leaf stalk have irregular black thorns along the edges.

• Flower: The female flower is sometimes branched while the male flower is highly branched. Flowers are creamy white, clustered, embedded in the spadix (cob).

• Fruit: Clustered in bunches, numbering about 20 fruits, round with a diameter of 7–20 cm, the skin is brownish-black. Each fruit has 3–7 pieces of clear white flesh covered by a thick and hard shell.

• Propagation is done by seed.

• Seedling preparation involves soaking the seeds in warm water for 24 hours and scarifying the seed coat to accelerate germination

It is used to care for the digestive system, treat diarrhea, maintain liver and kidney function, preserve skin health, regulate blood sugar levels, increase fertility, treat erectile dysfunction, and relieve stress.

• The plant contains flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, carotenoids, β-carotene, steroids, triterpenoids, propanediol acetate, benzenediol acetate, and propanediamine.