Areca is a genus of Asian palm trees in the family Arecaceae, most notably Areca catechu, the species whose seeds are known as betel nuts or areca nuts. The palms are tall, slender, and widely cultivated across South and Southeast Asia for this seed crop. In food science the genus matters chiefly as the botanical source of a widely consumed stimulant seed: the nuts are traditionally chewed with betel leaf and slaked lime, a habit delivering the alkaloid arecoline. Because habitual chewing is strongly associated with oral disease, including cancers classified by international health agencies, several countries regulate, restrict, or discourage the sale and consumption of areca products.