Arecaceae

Euterpe Mart.

Kingdom: Plantae Rank: Genus Parent: Arecaceae Status: Valid

Vegetative Morphology

Habit: to 25 m tall. Solitary or clustered (caespitose).

Main axis: The stem more or less smooth. Characterized by a group of slender red aerial roots at the base of the trunk.

Leaves: Leaves to 3 m with many pairs of very slender pinnae.

Reproductive Morphology

Fruit: Fruit sessile, black, very round. Mesocarp thin, edible.

Infructescence: Infructescence to 50 cm. Calyx persistent.

Seeds: Seeds one per fruit.

Other

Uses: Some species weakly cultivated for use of young leaves in salads and for the fruits, which are used in beverages. Trunks are used in rural construction. Reportedly medicinal.

Distribution: Central America and Trinidad to Bolivia, to 3000 m in elevation.