View source for Nypa fruticans

{{SPlantbox
|familia=Arecaceae
|genus=Nipa
|taxo_author=Wurmb
|common_name=Nipa Palm, Mangrove Palm, Nipah palm
|habit=palm-cycad
|lifespan=perennial
|water=wet, moist
|features=evergreen
|Temp Metric=°F
|jumpin=If this plant info box on watering; zones; height; etc. is mostly empty you can click on the edit tab and fill in the blanks!
|image=XP Nepf D4092.JPG
|image_width=180
|image_caption=The trunk or stem of the Nipa palm is under the mud.
}}
'''''Nypa fruticans''''', known as the '''Attap Palm''' ([[Singapore]]), '''Nipa Palm''' ([[Philippines]]),  and '''Mangrove Palm''' or '''Nipah palm''' ([[Indonesia]], [[Malaysia]]), '''Dừa Nước''' ([[Vietnam]]), '''Gol Pata''' ([[Bangladesh]]), '''Dani''' ([[Burma]]) is the only [[Arecaceae|palm]] considered a [[mangrove]]. This species, the only one in the [[genus]] '''''Nypa''''', grows in southern [[Asia]] and northern [[Australia]]. [[Fossil]] mangrove palm [[pollen]] has been dated to 70 million years ago. Fossilized nuts of ''Nypa'' dating to the [[Eocene|Eocene epoch]] occur in the sandbeds of [[Branksome, Dorset]], and in [[London Clay]] on the [[Isle of Sheppey]], Kent,<ref>[http://www.sheppeyfossils.com/pages/plant_material.htm plant_material<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> testifying to much warmer climatic conditions in the [[British Isles]] at that time.

[[Image:nipa_maitum.jpg|thumb|]]
The Nipa palm has a horizontal trunk that grows beneath the ground and only the [[Leaf|leaves]] and [[flower]] stalk grow upwards above the surface. Thus, it is an unusual tree, and the leaves can extend up to 9 m (30 ft) in height. The flowers are a globular [[inflorescence]] of female flowers at the tip with [[catkin]]-like red or yellow male flowers on the lower branches. The flower yields a woody nut, these arranged in a cluster compressed into a ball up to 25&nbsp;cm (10 in) across on a single stalk. The ripe nuts separate from the ball and are floated away on the tide, occasionally [[Germination|germinating]] while still water-borne.

Nipa palms grow in soft [[mud]] and slow moving tidal and river waters that bring in nutrients. The palm can be found as far inland as the tide can deposit the floating nuts. It is common on coasts and rivers flowing into the [[Indian Ocean|Indian]] and [[Pacific Ocean]]s, from [[Bangladesh]] to the [[Pacific Islands]]. The plant will survive occasional short term drying of its environment. ''Nypa fruticans'' is an [[endangered species]] in [[Singapore]]. 

{{Inc|
Nipa (native name in Molucca). Palmaceae. One species of palm widespread along tidal rivers and estuaries, Ceylon to the Philippines and Australia, the great leaves much used hi thatching, and the fruit edible.

Trunks or rootstocks prostrate, gregarious: Lvs. pinnatisect, 10-30 ft. long, from the ends of the rootstocks; lfts. numerous, rigid, plicate, lanceolate, long-acuminate, 2-3 ft. long: fls. moncecious, in an erect inn. springing from the rootstock; male fls. small, in catkin-like lateral branches of the spadix, stamens 3; female fls. larger, in terminal globose heads, the carpels 3: fr. large and spherical (as large as a man's head), comprised of many carpels or drupes 4-6 in. long. Toddy is extracted from the spadix, and from this product other materials (as sirup, sugar and vinegar) are made. Kernel hard and white, edible. N. fruticans, Wurmb., is a most useful plant in the thatch-making in the Philippines, but it is probably not cult, to any extent. It has been intro. in S. Fla.
}}

==Cultivation==


===Propagation===


===Pests and diseases===


==Varieties==


==Gallery==

<gallery perrow=5>
Image:XP Nepf D4091.JPG|A globular flower cluster on a Nipa palm
Image:Chek Jawa 7, Aug 07.JPG|A globular fruit cluster of the Nipa palm
Image:Upload.png| photo 1
Image:Upload.png| photo 2
Image:Upload.png| photo 3
</gallery>

==References==
<references/>
*[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
<!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->
<!--- xxxxx  *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432  -->
<!--- xxxxx  *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608  -->

==External links==
*{{wplink}}

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