Arenga microcarpa

{{Short description|Species of palm}}

{{Speciesbox

| image = (Arenga)(microcarpa)()(p)(wp)(IDC)(0518)(UV)(GrooteEylandt472).jpg

| image_caption = Arenga microcarpa, GrooteEylandt, NT Herbarium

| genus = Arenga

| species = microcarpa

| authority = Becc.

}}

Arenga microcarpa, also known aren sagu or Sagu Baruk, is a perennial densely clumping palm native to the Moluccas and Papua New Guinea and cultivated in open lowland areas in northern Australia and Indonesia.{{cite journal|url=https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jsta/66/1/66_12/_pdf|title=Growth characteristics and starch productivity of 'sagu baruk'(Arenga microcarpa Becc.) on Sangihe Island, North Sulawesi, Indonesia|first1=Yoshinori|last1=Yamamoto|first2=Ayumi|last2=Oshi |journal=Tropical Agriculture Development|volume=6|number=1|page=12-22|year=2022}}{{Cite web |last=Herbaria |first=jurisdiction:Australian Government Departmental Consortium;corporateName:Council of Heads of Australasian |title=Partners |url=https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Arenga%20microcarpa#tab_mapView |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=avh.ala.org.au |language=en-AU}}

The palm grows to 7 meters. It has dark glossy green leaves with whitish undersides and small red fruit.{{cite book|title=Cultivated Palms of the World|first1=Don|last1=Ellison|first2=Anthony|last2=Ellison|page=28|publisher=UNSW Press|year=2001|ISBN=9780868406114}}

The Sagu Baruk palm is cultivated on the Talaud and Sangihe Islands for extraction of starch from the pith. It is reported that Sagu flour is the primary food source for 88% of the Sangihe Island population.{{cite journal|url=https://www.textroad.com/pdf/JAFT/J.%20Agric.%20Food.%20Tech.,%202(1)%207-15,%202012.pdf|journal=Journal of Agriculture and Food Technology|first1=|last1=Marianus |first2=Sumeru|last2=Ashari|volume=2|number=1|page=7-15|year=2015|title=The Potential of Sagu Baruk Palm (Arenga microcarpha) as conservation plant}}