Sago palm
Family Palmae (or Arecaceae)
Metroxylon sagu, the sago palm (M. sagu 1), is a monoecious palm with large pinnate leaves, up to 10 m tall, occurring wild in the fresh water swamps of Southeast Asia. Each trunk produces a large terminal inflorescence when 10-15 years old and dies after fruiting.
Use
For the production of sago, the trunk is cut just before flowering when the starch reserves are at their maximum. The trunk is split and the internal tissues pulverised (M. sagu 2) and mixed with water. The pulp is then pounded to free the starch, which may be used fresh or dried to produce flour. Pearl sago is produced from a thick paste of the flour by pressing it through a sieve onto a hot metal plate.
Sago provides the staple food for the marsh-dwelling Papuans in New Guinea. In Europe it is used in pudding and sweet dishes.