PINANG TREE (Areca catechu)

Pinang Tree

ABSTRACT

Areca nut (Areca catechu) popularly known as‚ betel nut‛,

is one of the oldest known masticatories amongst Asia
(Trease and Evan, 2009). Pinang Tree has a fibrous root,
straight trunk and slim. It has a leaf such as palm leaf with a
length of 1.5 – 2 m, short petiole, and has a leaf blade with
jagged in the tips. Flowers with long spathe, appear under the
leaves. The spadix or fleshy inflorescence bears male and
Picture from Koehler
female flowers together, both stalkless and much branched. The
fruit is 3 – 8.5 centimeters long, smooth, green when young,
Scientific Classification
becoming orange or scarlet at maturity with stringy shell and
have a one of seed. Areca seeds has a bitter taste that contains
Kingdom Plantae
alkoloida like arekaina (arecaine) and arekolina (arecoline)
which has a toxic and addictive. Areca seeds has many benefits
Divisi Magnoliophyta
as a medicinal plant, such as to treat the injured skin, shrink the
uterus, treat a myopic eyes, constrict the pupils like atropine,
Class Liliopsida cures minor urinary affections, treat intestinal worms and also
useful for people who have diabetes.
Ordo Arecales

Family Arecaceae INTRODUCTION

Areca nut (Areca catechu) popularly known as ‚betel nut‛,

Genus Areca is one of the oldest known masticatories amongst Asia

(Trease and Evan, 2009). Pinang Tree or Areca catechu is a

Species A. catechu species of palm which grown in India, Malaysia, Taiwan and
many other Asian countries. It has a fibrous root, straight trunk
and slim with a diameter 20-30 cm which can reach a height of
Binomial Nomenklatur
20 m. It has a leaf such as palm leaf with a length of 1.5 – 2 m,
short petiole, and has a leaf blade length up to 80 cm with
Areca catechu
jagged in the tips.
 Flowers with long spathe, appear under the leaves. The spathe or large bract of the
inflorescence is double in nature and is compressed, smooth and bald, with length 30–60
centimeters, and a short branching stalk. The spadix or fleshy inflorescence bears male and
female flowers together, both stalkless and much branched. The male flowers are numerous
sessile, without bracts; calyx 1-leaved, small, 3-cornered, 3-parted; petals 3, oblong, rigid
striated; stamens 6, anthers sagittate. Female flowers solitary or 2 or 3 at or near the base of
each ramification of the spadix, sessile, without bracts; sepals permanent; staminodes 6,
connate, styles scarcely any; stigmas 3, short, triangular.

The fruit is 3 – 8.5 centimeters long, smooth, green when young, becoming orange or
scarlet at maturity with stringy shell and have a one of seed. The seeds such as walnuts but
have a hard texture. Areca seeds has a bitter taste that contains alkoloida like arekaina
(arecaine) and arekolina (arecoline) which has a toxic and addictive. Some kind of areca
seeds would cause dizziness if it eaten. It contain arecaidine, arecolidine, guvacoline,
guacine.
MATERIAL AND METHOD

This observation use direct observation which the plant can be seen directly with our
eyes. We did this observation behind O4 building, exactly in the Biologi forest.

RESULT

We find that pinang tree has a fibrous root, straight trunk and slim. It has a leaf such as
palm leaf, short petiole, and has a leaf blade with jagged in the tips. Flowers with long spathe,
appear under the leaves and a short branching stalk. The spadix or fleshy inflorescence bears
male and female flowers together, both stalkless and much branched. The fruit is smooth,
green when young, becoming orange or scarlet at maturity with stringy shell and have a one
of seed. The seeds such as walnuts but have a hard texture.

BENEFIT

Areca seeds has many benefits as a medicinal plant. Treat the injured skin by mashing
the meat of young areca seed then placed on the injured skin. Young areca seeds can be used
to shrink the uterus by boiling the fruit of young pinang, drink the water regularly. Treat a
myopic eyes by chewing the seeds, then drink the water. A lotion from it sometimes used to
constrict the pupils like atropine. A decoction of betel nut and khair (khadira) taken with
honey cures minor urinary affections. Drink the boilong water of areca seeds can treat
intestinal worms. Areca seeds also useful for people who have diabetes. The young green
shoots are used to bring about abortion in early pregnancy.

CONCLUSION

In our observation, we know that pinang tree or Areca catechu is a species of palm. It
has a fibrous root, straight trunk and slim. It has a leaf such as palm leaf, short petiole, and
has a leaf blade with jagged in the tips. Flowers with long spathe, appear under the leaves and
a short branching stalk. The spadix or fleshy inflorescence bears male and female flowers
together, both stalkless and much branched. The fruit is smooth, green when young,
becoming orange or scarlet at maturity with stringy shell and have a one of seed. The seeds
such as walnuts but have a hard texture.
REFERENCES

Preetee Jaiswal., Pradeep Kumar, V.K., Singh., and DK. Singh. 2011. Areca catechu L.: A
Valuable Herbal Medicine Against Different Health Problems. Journal of Medicinal
Plant, (Online), 5 (2): 145-152, (http://academicjournals/rjmp), diakses 06 November
2016.

Orwa C., A Mutua., Kindt R., Jamnadass R., S. Anthony. 2009 Agroforestree Database:a tree
reference and selection guide, (Online),
(http://www.worldagroforestry.org/sites/treedbs/treedatabases.asp), diakses 06
November 2016.

Dr. K.H. Krishnamurthy. 2010. Supari or betel nut (Areca catechu, Linn.), (Online),
(https://www.namahjournal.com), diakses 06 November 2016