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Image by Dr. Neahga Leonard |
"If there are
no mangrove forests, then the sea will have no meaning. It is like having a
tree with no roots, for the mangroves are the roots of the sea."
Unknown fisherman,
Trang Province, Southern Thailand
Mangroves are woody
trees or shrubs that are salt-tolerant and grow along coasts in tropical and
subtropical regions. Their distinctive and ecologically important communities
consist of members of a number of plant families. Mangrove species can be said
to have a common lifestyle, rather than being taxonomically related.
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Image by Luis Argerich |
The Nipa Palm, Nypa
fruticans, is naturally distributed along Asian and Northern Australian
rivers and brackish estuarian environments, often in dense stands that can
extend for miles. In many areas the palm is a significant and sometimes
dominant component of mangrove forests. It’s quite unusual, as palms go. Characteristic of the species is its mild salinity tolerance, which is generally
uncommon among palms. The trees develop subterranean, horizontally branching
trunks in their muddy, shallow-water habitat. Nipas form spiky clusters of
fruit that resemble medieval weapons. Their seeds are designed to float, like
coconuts. Sometimes the seeds will begin germinating before they settle in the
mud or sand.
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Image by Tanetahi |

Nipa Palm is
both ecologically and economically useful. It provides habitat for aquatic organisms;
it stabilizes and protects land from storms and flooding, just like other
mangroves. Its leaves make a durable building thatch; its copious sweet sap is
harvested to make palm wine and syrup. The fruit is also popularly eaten. Because
of the high sugar content of the plant’s tissues, it's an outstanding source
of ethanol for fuel production. Nipa stands are environmentally sustainable and
require no chemical fertilizer or pesticide inputs.
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Male and Female Flowers |
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