Morphological characteristics and distribution of betel nut

How much do you know about the morphological characteristics and distribution of betel nut? If you don't know, please read the introduction given by the editor and you will understand.

[Warning] Betel nut is a Class 1 carcinogen on the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer list of carcinogens. Chewing betel nut can increase the risk of oral cancer.

Morphological characteristics of betel nut

(I) Plant characteristics: The trunk is straight, cylindrical and unbranched, with a breast diameter of 10 to 15 cm and a height of more than 10 to 13 meters.

The trunk of the betel nut tree has obvious ring-shaped leaf scars. The trunk of a young tree is green, and gradually turns grayish white as the tree ages. The leaves are clustered at the top of the stem. The leaves are pinnately compound, 1.3 to 2 meters long, with triangular petioles that encircle the stem. The leaflets are long lanceolate and flat on the surface.

Areca palm is smooth and hairless. The inflorescence is fleshy, and the spathe is yellow-green. The flowers are unisexual, monoecious, and the perianth is 6. The male flowers are in 2 rows, alternate at the top of the inflorescence spikelets, and the flowers are small and numerous, about 2,000. The female flowers are borne at the base of the inflorescence spikelets, and the flowers are large and few, about 250 to 550. The male flowers have 6 degenerate stamens, 3 osmanthus, and the ovary is superior and one-chambered. The nuts are oval; there is 1 seed, which is conical.

(II) Biological characteristics

Areca grows in tropical monsoon rain forests, forming a habit of liking warmth and fertilizer. The most suitable growth temperature is 25-20℃. Leaves fall at 16℃; fruits fall at 5-6℃; leaves turn yellow at 3℃, fruits turn black and fall off; plants die seriously below -10℃. Generally, it grows better in areas with low altitudes. It likes moisture but avoids waterlogging. Plenty of rainfall and even distribution are beneficial to growth. Generally, it can grow in areas with an annual rainfall of more than 1,200 mm. High relative humidity (about 80%) and long-term stability are beneficial to growth. Generally, the shade degree of the seedling stage should be 50%-60%, and the mature tree should be fully illuminated. Soil is the key to the economic life of betel nut. It likes to grow in sandy loam with thick soil layer, black topsoil and rich organic matter. The subsoil is red soil or yellow soil, which is the most ideal. It usually blooms and bears fruit 7-8 years after planting, and is in its peak fruiting period of 20-30 years. The life span can reach more than 100 years. After the fruit is harvested, the seeds have the characteristic of ripening inside the fruit. The germination rate of yellow mature fruit is 64.3%. The germination rate is reduced when the fruit loses water. Indoor germination, the average daily temperature is 26.41℃, the average daily temperature difference is 1.8℃, and the germination rate is 98%.

Distribution of betel nut

Mainly distributed in Central Africa and Southeast Asia, such as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malay Peninsula, New Guinea, India

Betel nut is grown in Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and other countries. my country has a history of 1,500 years of introduction and cultivation. Hainan and Taiwan provinces have more cultivation, and Guangxi, Yunnan, Fujian and other provinces (regions) also have cultivation.