董棕 dong zong

Caryota gigas Hahn; C. obtusidentata Griffith; C. rumphiana Martius var. indica Beccari.

Stems solitary, to 40 m tall, 50-90 cm in diam., often swollen. Leaves borne in a compact crown at top of stem; petioles 1-2 m; rachis 4-5.5 m; primary pinnae 19-22 per side of rachis; secondary pinnae 20-27 per side of secondary rachis, with scarcely jagged margins and blunt apices. Inflorescences borne among leaves, to 6 m; rachillae to 200, 2-2.9 m; male flowers to 15 mm; sepals 5-7 mm; petals yellowish, ca. 14 mm; stamens ca. 80; female flowers to 10 mm; sepals ca. 5 mm; petals ca. 8 mm. Fruits reddish, globose, to 3.5 cm in diam., often 2-seeded.

Scattered localities in montane rain forests, usually on limestone soils; 1400-1800 m. Yunnan [India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam].

Material of this species was previously misidentified as Caryota urens Linnaeus (FRPS 13(1): 116. 1991).

The palm heart is rich with starch and eaten locally.