Plant · GBIF taxon 2738422
Mangrove Palm
Nypa fruticansAlso known as Nipa Palm, Nypa Palm
Mangrove palms are unique among palms for having a horizontal, underground trunk that creeps through intertidal mud rather than growing upright. Massive arching fronds up to nine meters long sprout directly from the rhizome, anchoring vulnerable shorelines against storm surges and tidal erosion. Globular clusters of woody, buoyant fruits form beneath the foliage and disperse widely across ocean currents before rooting along brackish river mouths.
MangroveCoastalTropical
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Photoautotrophic
Predators
- Long-tailed Macaque
- Wild Boar
ThreatsCoastal development, shrimp pond aquaculture, and land reclamation
HabitatsBrackish estuaries, tidal mudflats, and mangrove swamps
Life spanSeveral decades to centuries via clonal rhizomes
Classification
- OrderArecales
- FamilyArecaceae
- GenusNypa
- SpeciesNypa fruticans
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Tidal safety: Observe stands from a boat or boardwalk, as the underlying mud is deep and unstable.
- Fruit spotting: Look for dense, spherical fruit heads floating near river mouths during wet seasons.
Neighbor self / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Neighbor Colin Trainor / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Same Family (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
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