As recorded for Betta Thengu
Arenga wightii
Betta Thengu / Wight's Sago Palm ಬೆಟ್ಟ ತೆಂಗು
Kannada name · See all regional names ↓
Also known as Wild Coconut
- Habit
- Palm (Cluster)
- Found in India
- Karnataka, Kerala, Goa & more
- Flowering
- Throughout the year
Betta Thengu in regional languages
Find the name you know, then compare it with the botanical profile. Columns list recorded aliases; they are not paired translations. A Latin spelling appears only when it is present in the source record.
| Language | Regional script | Recorded Latin spelling |
|---|---|---|
| Tamil | ஆலம்பனை · காட்டுதேங்காய் | alampanai, kattuthengai |
| Kannada | ಬೆಟ್ಟ ತೆಂಗು · ಕಾಡು ಈಚಲು · ಕಾಡು ತೆಂಗು | betta thengu, kaadu eechalu, kaadu thengu |
| Malayalam | അലട്ടിത്തേങ്ങ · കാരംപനൈ · കാട്ടുതേങ്ങ് | alattiltenna, karampanai, kattuthengu, Kattuteng |
| Marathi | धूडसाल | dhudsal |
See the original recorded names
- Tamil
- ஆலம்பனை alampanai, காட்டுதேங்காய் kattuthengai
- Kannada
- ಬೆಟ್ಟ ತೆಂಗು betta thengu, ಕಾಡು ಈಚಲು kaadu eechalu, ಕಾಡು ತೆಂಗು kaadu thengu
- Malayalam
- അലട്ടിത്തേങ്ങ alattiltenna, കാരംപനൈ karampanai, കാട്ടുതേങ്ങ് kattuthengu, Kattuteng
- Marathi
- धूडसाल dhudsal
Ecology & growing context
- Native status · Kew WCVP
- WCVP native range includes India Kew dataset ↗︎
Kew WCVP dataset; accepted-name match. Dataset matching is separate from an individual regional review. Recorded worldwide native range: SW. & S. India.
- Recorded habitat
- Evergreen forests at elevations 400-800 m
- Explore nearby plants
- Karnataka →Kerala →Goa →
Occurrence records show where a plant has been recorded; they do not establish that it is native there. Compare local habitat and growing conditions when choosing plants for a garden.
How to identify Betta Thengu
Identify Betta Thengu by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a palm (cluster) habit.
- Confirm leaf type: Pinnately compound.
- Confirm leaf margin: Lobed.
- Confirm flower colour: White.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: Throughout the year.
- In India, compare location records such as Karnataka, Kerala, Goa, Tamil Nadu.
- Confirm it sits within the Arecaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Betta Thengu.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Arenga wightii
- Genus
- Arenga
- Family
- Arecaceae
- Habit
- Palm (Cluster)
- Habitat
- Evergreen forests at elevations 400-800 m
- Habitat type
- Forest
- Native to
- India
- Found in India
- Karnataka, Kerala, Goa, Tamil Nadu
- Flowering & fruiting
- Throughout the year
- Conservation status
- Vulnerable (VU)
Leaf characters
- Leaf type
- Pinnately compoundrecordedLeaflets are arranged in rows along a central stalk, like a feather.“This is a pinnately compound leaved palm, with four-to-eight-metre-long (13 to 26 ft) leaves.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf margin
- LobedrecordedThe edge is divided into rounded or pointed sections that don't reach the midrib.“The leaf base is asymmetrical, with one of the lobes often extending over the rachis.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf surface
- GlaucousrecordedCoated in a fine waxy bloom, giving a pale blue-grey or silvery look.“The leaf surface is glaucous on the underside, with an apex that is unequally bilobed.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
Characters marked “recorded” are for Betta Thengu itself; the rest are typical of the Arecaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- Whiterecorded“The tree produces cream-colored unisexual flowers, where male and female flowers will be on different inflorescences.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
- Inflorescence
- Panicle
Characters marked “recorded” are for Betta Thengu itself; the rest are typical of the Arecaceae family — flowering plants only.
About Betta Thengu
A member of the Arecaceae family, Wight's Sago Palm (Arenga wightii) is a clustering palm. In India it has been recorded in Karnataka, Kerala, Goa and 1 other states. It grows in evergreen forests at elevations 400-800 m. It flowers and fruits through much of the year.
Uses
Locally it is grown for parts that are eaten and long used in traditional medicine. Those medicinal uses are traditional attributions, not medical advice. Its sap or hairs can irritate skin, so handle it with care.
In culture
It is treated as sacred and appears in worship and turns up in ritual and festival use.
Arecaceae
Palm family
Betta Thengu belongs to the Arecaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Arecaceae familySnap it. Know it.
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Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
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