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.