Arecaceae

Attalea H. B. K.

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

Vegetative Morphology

Habit: Palms to 25 m tall and stem to 40 cm diameter, sometimes stems are subterranean.

Leaves: Leaves with numerous pinnnae. Rachis to 12 m long, arched and curved in such a manner that the pinnae appear vertical in the apex. Normally, the pinnae arranged in one plane, but in some species the pinnae are disorganized.

Reproductive Morphology

Inflorescence: Bract to 1 m long, indurate to woody.

Fruit: Exocarp woody. Mesocarp white or orange and fibrous.

Infructescence: Infructescence to 60 cm, the fruits tightly clustered, sessile, brown when mature.

Seeds: Seed 1 per fruit with 3-4 embryos per seed.

Other

Uses: The leaves are used as material for roofing houses. Fruits edible. Seeds often used in making handicrafts.

Distribution: Mexico to Bolivia.