Abstract
The leaves of sago palm, nipa palm and coconut palm are widely used as covering material for housing and shade shelter in the tropics because of their three to five years’ durability. According to lamina anatomic observation for the durability mechanisms of the leaves of these three species and two other palm species as reference, the followings were observed. The epidermis of nipa palm has durable structure, and fibers in sago palm leaves have thick mass, which makes them strong enough to be used as roof and wall materials for several years. On the other hand, the leaves of coconut palm are less durable than the other two due to the lack of dense distribution of fiber in the leaf body. These palmleaves with different durability can be effectively utilized, taking their characteristicsinto consideration.
