Editing Areca vestiaria (section)

===Flowers: ===
The flower bunches
of 'pinang merah' always remain below the leafy crown
(intrafoliar), as they emerge only when the subtending leaf
sheds. The single, large, boat-shaped and orange-coloured
spathe splits open to let out the cream-coloured spadix
bearing a short peduncle and 10-25 simply-branched spikes
''Areca vestiaria''
is monoecious, since the male and female flowers are produced
in the same spadix. Female flowers are larger than the males,
but smaller in number. Unlike in the common
''Areca catechu'' where the female flowers, 1-3, are
placed at the base of each spike, in 'pinang merah' the
female flowers are distributed practically throughout the
length of the spike, intermingled with male flowers Blooming
phase of male flowers commences from the time they emerge
from the spathe, and the male flowers continue to bloom and
shed for about 15 days, only after which, the female flowers
attain receptivity. This alternation of male and female
blooming phases favours cross pollination to take place.
Male flowers have 3 extremely small imbricating sepals
and 3 larger valvate petals. There are 6 functional stamens
and 3 pistillodes at the centre. Female flowers have 3
imbricating sepals and 3 petals almost of the same size. The
perianths fully cover the ovary until receptive stage. There
is a ring of staminodes present between the whorl of petals
and the ovary which represents the sterile stamens. The ovary
consists of three united carpels and the style is very short or
absent, but the trifid stigma is conspicuous. The fruit
develops into a one seeded berry whose epicarp and perianth
are bright red which enhances the value of this wild palm as
an ornamental.