Eleiodoxa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eleiodoxa |
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| Fruits of Eleiodoxa conferta | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eleiodoxa
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| Species: |
conferta
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Eleiodoxa is a special type of palm tree found only in Southeast Asia. It's a genus (a group of closely related plants) that has just one known species, called Eleiodoxa conferta. This plant loves to grow in swamps and is often called asam kelubi or asam paya by people in Malaysia.
The name Eleiodoxa comes from two Greek words meaning "water" and "glory." The species name conferta is Latin for "congested," which describes how its flowers grow closely together.
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What Does Eleiodoxa conferta Look Like?
These palms grow in thick groups, with their main stems staying underground. Each plant flowers only once in its life, then it dies. This is a special feature called being "hapaxanth."
A grown leaf can be about 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) long. It has a stem, called a petiole, that is about 3 meters (10 feet) long. This stem has sharp spines, about 5 to 7 centimeters (2 to 3 inches) long, arranged in circles.
The green parts of the leaf, called pinnae, are neatly arranged along the main leaf stalk. They are about 1.5 meters (5 feet) long and have tiny teeth along their edges.
The flowers grow close to the ground. Some plants have only male flowers, and others have only female flowers. The female flowers later turn into scaly, red fruits. Each fruit usually has one or sometimes two seeds inside.
Where Does Eleiodoxa conferta Grow?
You can find Eleiodoxa conferta in tropical areas of Thailand, Malaysia, Borneo, and Sumatra. It grows in special kinds of forests called peat swamp forests and fresh water swamps.
These palms like to grow very close together, forming large groups or colonies. They thrive in wet, swampy places.
How Do People Use Eleiodoxa conferta?
When people grow this palm, it needs a lot of water. It also likes rich, acidic soil and shady or filtered light.
In its natural home, people eat the soft inner part of the palm stem, called the palm heart. The large leaves are also used for making roofs, a process called thatching.
The fruits of Eleiodoxa conferta are often pickled. They can be used instead of tamarind in cooking. Sometimes, they are even made into sweet treats!
Images for kids
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A full Eleiodoxa conferta plant
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The flesh of the Eleiodoxa conferta fruit
