Metroxylon amicarum

Botanical Description

Metroxylon amicarum is a solitary-stemmed, evergreen palm tree producing a crown of leaves up to 7 metres long on top of an unbranched trunk that can be 12 - 33 metres tall and 30 - 36cm in diameter[ 312 Title Traditional Trees of Pacific Islands Publication Author Elevitch. Craig. R. (Editor) Publisher Permanent Agriculture Resources, Hawaii Year 2006 ISBN 0970254458 Description Beautifully produced book with superb photos and detailed information on over 50 species of useful plants of the Pacific Islands. ]. A very important tree for the local economy of native people, providing them with food, medicines and a wide range of other materials. Commonly harvested from the wild for its many uses, the tree is also cultivated, especially for the seed which is used in making buttons. This is a scarce, endemic species, native only to Ponape and Truk in the Caroline Islands, growing in areas that are remote and unattractive for settlement[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ]. The tree is classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2010)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].