Arenga

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Arenga (family Palmae) A genus of palms found in their native habitat ranging from treelets to stout trees. The leaves are pinnate, with pinnate nervation, the sheath coarsely fibrous. Inflorescences often develop basipetally, paired male flowers falling before the solitary female develops. The fruits have a soft, irritant mesocarp (see PERICARP) and 1–3 seeds. The sugar palm is A. pinnata. There are 17 species, native from the Himalayas to Hainan and New Guinea.