BENGALURU : Palm trees can be described as unbranched, evergreen trees, with a solid, strong trunk crowned with fan-shaped leaves. Palm trees are considered a symbol of truth, freedom, valour and longevity. Palms are also a vital element of natural as well man-made landscapes of tropical and sub-tropical regions. In the absence of palms, the landscape is deemed to be incomplete.
Possessing symmetrical foliage, uniformity and varied textures, palms are a garden resource. In addition, palms are among the very few species of plants which can withstand storms. In India, there are only few species of native palms that are used in the landscape needs considering their adaptability to varied climatic conditions.
One such important medicinal palm is Caryota urens L. of the family Arecaceae. It grows in Western as well as in the Eastern Ghats. In English, it is popularly known as fish-tail palm (in allusion to the irregularly toothed margins of leaf-lets). In Kannada it is called as Baine; in Tamil as Koonthal panai (meaning plait-like inflorescences) and in Malayalam as Chundapana. The root-bark is used against poisonous bites. The plant is also used to treat rheumatism, gastric ulcers and headache.
Fish-tail palm is an evergreen tree reaching upto 20 m. With a straight trunk, smooth bark, ringed with scars of fallen leaves, the inflorescences are spadices, arising atop first and subsequently arising on lower branches. Flowers are numerous, fruits are drupes and are green when young and turn yellow, pink and scarlet-red during maturity.