Family: Arecaceae

Ivory nut palm is a majestic tree that can grow up to 80 feet. It has some distinctive identifying features. Raised leaf scar rings mark the trunk and stipes. Once divided fronds are dark green, have leaflets pointing posterior, and are arranged dorsally, unlike coconut palm with its leaves arranged laterally. The fruit looks like a dragon egg, an extremely hard egg-shaped fruit with brown scales. Contained inside is one seed. The fruit, which resembles ivory, can be carved into buttons and other small items. The ivory nut palm is native to the Caroline Isnalds.

Plant Uses:

• Edible
• Medicinal
• Ornamental
• Specimen

Plant Dangers:

• No dangers

High Risk Traits:

• Trunk bears short spines
  
• Forms dense, invading thickets
  
• Reproduces vegetatively (suckering)
  
• Intentionally dispersed by people
  
• Water-dispersed (floats in streams/floods)

Low Risk Traits:

• No evidence of naturalization or weediness
  
• Non-toxic to animals and humans
  
• Large seeds (not prolific, no persistent seed bank)
  
• Not bird-dispersed; no external animal dispersal