nipah palm, nypa

Description:

Nypa fruticans is the only palm considered a mangrove in the "Mangroves Biome". However Nypa is not a mangrove in the strict sense, as it does not exploit truly littoral environments, nor can it tolerate inundation with undiluted seawater for extended periods. Nypa is a monotypic genus, thus containing only this species. Nypa grows in southern Asia and northern Australia within the Indomalaya ecozone.

Habitat:

This stand of Nypa was encountered at the end of a segment of (raised) fossil beach strand in lowland equatorial forest. The area is a matrix of freshwater swamp forest and sago swamp roughly corresponding to strands and swales. This stand may have been associated with a tidally influenced creek. The area is not far from the sea.

Notes:

Nypa has a number of uses including thatching, food (shoots & immature fruits), local alcoholic beverages and biofuel production.