Astrocaryum alatum
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 Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garde, Florida. Photo by Dr. Carl E. Lewis, Carl E. Lewis, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden/Palmweb. | ||||||||
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Contents
Habitat and Distribution
Astrocaryum alatum is found in Bolivia, Brazil North, Colombia, French Guiana,
Description
Understory to medium size, solitary, pinnate leaves of varying widths in a single plane, spines on petiole, branched inflorescence, Height: Up to 6m (20 ft) Growth Habit: Solitary, Trunk Type: No Crownshaft, Stout, Brown and Woody, Trunk Diameter: Up to 18 cm (7") Leaf Type: Pinnate, Leaf Size: Up to 3 m (10 ft) Leaf Color: Dark Green, Light Grey Underside, Petiole: Armed, Self Cleaning: No, Inflorescence Color: White/Cream, Reproduction: Monoecious, Fruit Description: Up to 5 cm (2") Obovoid, Fruit Color: Yellow/Brown. Editing by edric.
Culture
Light: Full Sun, Partial Shade, Soil:Requires Consistently Moist, Fast Draining Soil, Min. Temp: -3°C (27°F) Tolerances: Full Sun, High Humidity, Mild Frost, Germination: 1.3 Months, 25-30°C (77-86°F). Grows well in alkaline to slightly acidic soils. Growth rate slow to medium. Tolerates brief cold snaps into mid 30s. Slight salt tolerance. Warm, sheltered, and moist, rich soil.
Comments and Curiosities
Conservation Status: Lower Risk, Near Threatened. Habitat Threats: Human Settlement.
May be confused with Astrocaryum mexicanum, but this palm's stem is not covered with persistent, spiny leaf bases.
- IMAGE GALLERY
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garde, Florida. Photo by Dr. Carl E. Lewis, Carl E. Lewis, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden/Palmweb.
Lyons Arboretum, Hawaii. Photo by Geoff Stein.
Seed.
Fairchild FL.
Detail of the seed.
Photo by Kyle Wicomb
Habitat. Photo by Dr. Scott Zona
Habitat. Photo by Dr. R. Aguilar
Marco & Gerardo Herrero's Farms, 2008 Costa Rica. In the waiting area not far from the gift shop, at the Rain Forest Aerial Tram, Ron Kiefert giving scale. " It has no spines on it. It had a few small, soft spines on the newly emergent leaf petiole but that was it." 2008 IPS Biennial. Photo by Ryan D. Gallivan.
IMBioparque (trails) - 2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica. Photo by Ryan D. Gallivan.
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External Links
- Glossary of Palm Terms
- MODERN BOTANICAL LATIN
- "Just To Be Clear"
- http://itp.lucidcentral.org/id/palms/palm-id/Astrocaryum_alatum.htm
References
Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.
Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos.
Special thanks to Palmweb.org, Dr. John Dransfield, Dr. Bill Baker & team, for their volumes of information and photos.
Glossary of Palm Terms; Based on the glossary in Dransfield, J., N.W. Uhl, C.B. Asmussen-Lange, W.J. Baker, M.M. Harley & C.E. Lewis. 2008. Genera Palmarum - Evolution and Classification of the Palms. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. All images copyright of the artists and photographers (see images for credits).
Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.
