In South-East Asia, the size of the nipa palm varies: in the Philippines plants are smaller than in Papua New Guinea and Malaysia. In Malaysia, two forms of nipa palms are distinguished, 'nipah gala' and 'nipah padi', differing in the tilt of the leaflets. No cultivars have been developed.
With its prostrate, dichotomously branched stem and its erect inflorescence bearing a terminal head of female flowers and lateral spikes of male flowers, nipa palm occupies a unique position in the Palmae. It has a very long history; possible relations with the genera Pandanus and Sararanga (both from the Pandanaceae) have been suggested.