ABOVE: Male Rhinoceros Hornbill Buceros rhinoceros feeding preparing to feed on the ripe fruits of a Caryota no palm which is dying in one big bang. Photo by Shavez Cheema
Borneo’s Palms typically fruit in one of two ways;
- Steady State: Once aduly these palms fruit continuously producing a steady stream of flowers and fruit eg. oil palm, coconut palm, betel palm, Oncosperma palms, Borassodendron palm, Pholidocarpus palms, Arenga palms
- Big Bang. Produce no fruit until fully mature, then produce a vast amount of fruit in one big bang lasting several weeks e.g. Corypha palms, Eugeissona palms, Caryota palms. Once fruiting is finished the palms die having exhausted their food reserves.
