The Tropical herbal that is well known enough is palm trees. This tropical herb has been known since ancient times as a Indonesian traditional wine producer called "tuak".
Binomial Name: Arenga pinnata
Family: Arecaceae (Palmae).
Description:
This natural herbal has the appearance similiar to coconut tree with the maximum height of 24 meters and diameter of 60 cm. Another characteristic of this herbal plant is have unprickly stems and unbranched. This plant is very similar to the coconut tree. The difference is, if the coconut tree trunk is clean because old leaf midrib easily separated, the palm tree trunk is so dirty because the stem was wrapped by the residue of fibers so that the old leaf midrib difficult to take off from the trunk. This causes the palm tree trunks are often covered by plant species of ferns. Most of the leafy stem has leaf midrib beneath which is the edges are torn and break down into black residual fiber. Leaf stalks reach the length of 1.5 m, while the leaf blade length of up to 4.5 m. Small leaves measured up to 145 times 7 cmand has a layer of wax at the bottom.
Having monoecious flowers. Female cob and male cob can reach 2,5m length. The cobs has only one branch reaches the length of 1,5m. Male flowers paired with a length of 12-15 mm. Female flowers stand alone, almost round like a ball. The fruit is round like a bulled shape with the end portion is dented inward.
This herb is spreading throughout the Java Island, as a wild forest or planted on 1-1400 m above sea level. Also known as Arenga saccharifera Labill. All part of this plant can be used by human, roots are used as a woven material and the whip, rod split to gutter (for drainage), wood for walking sticks and roof rafters, vegetables, bones leaves for brooms and wicker baskets, young leaves to replace the cigarette paper, fibers for rope fibers midrib , tiles, baskets, brooms, brushes, and the staple rod can be used to make "sago".
Of male flowers cob tapped liquid containing sugar, then made sugar (brown sugar), when fermented produces sago water, wine or vinegar, seed is used to make sweets like a candy and edible (kolang-kaling). While the results of fermentation of extract flowers and roots of palm will become Indonesian wine, liquor or "legen".
Uses:
Palm wine or "legen" can be used to overcome thrush and constipation. Roots to treat kidney stones and skin rashes. Meanwhile, palm sugar can be used as alternate sugar to prevent coughing.
