Abstract
This chapter focuses on biological, geographical, medical, and taxanomical aspects of the arecanut palm. Since ancient times, the habit of “chewing” is a symbol of friendship and general well being. Even in Hindu temples during festivals, betel nut and arecanut are offered to the deities as materials of worship. No Hindu auspicious occasion is complete without the offering of arecanut and betel leaves to the guests. Arecanut palm is a popular crop in India in the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu in southern India, and in Assam, Meghalaya, and West Bengal in northeastern India. The arecanut palm is the source of a widely used masticatory nut, popularly known as arecanut, betelnut, or supari. While supari is a processed and scented nut powder for mastication, highly popular in northern India and Pakistan, the term betel nut is derived from the fact that arecanut is used with betel leaf (a twiner) for chewing purposes. The areca palm is a monocot that belongs to the family Palmae. The commonly cultivated species is Areca catechu in most of the countries, where it is used for chewing. In Sri Lanka, the fruits of Areca concinna are occasionally chewed. In the world, the majority of production is in India, followed by China.
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