Arecaceae FAMILY

Desmoncus polyacanthos

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Desmoncus polyacanthos is a spiny, evergreen, climbing palm producing a cluster of slender, unbranched stems from 1 - 37 metres long that scramble into the surrounding vegetation[ 314 Title Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia. Publication Author Website http://www.pacsoa.org.au/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website. , 422 Title Fruits of the Guianan Flora Publication Author van Roosmalen. M.G.M. Publisher Institute of Systematic Boyany, Utrecht University; Netherlands. Year 1985 ISBN 90-9000988-4 Description Terse descriptions of over 1,700 species from the Guianas that bear fruits - not necessarily edible! Often mentions if the fruit is edible, plus gives brief description of habit and habitat. ]. Plants are highly variable in size and armature depending on the available amount of light and water[ 422 Title Fruits of the Guianan Flora Publication Author van Roosmalen. M.G.M. Publisher Institute of Systematic Boyany, Utrecht University; Netherlands. Year 1985 ISBN 90-9000988-4 Description Terse descriptions of over 1,700 species from the Guianas that bear fruits - not necessarily edible! Often mentions if the fruit is edible, plus gives brief description of habit and habitat. ]. The plant is sometimes gathered from the wild for local medicinal use and as a source of materials.

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeS. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; Caribbean - Trinidad to the Windward Islands.

HabitatUnderstorey of rainforests, also along rivers but not in swamps[ 314 Title Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia. Publication Author Website http://www.pacsoa.org.au/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website. , 422 Title Fruits of the Guianan Flora Publication Author van Roosmalen. M.G.M. Publisher Institute of Systematic Boyany, Utrecht University; Netherlands. Year 1985 ISBN 90-9000988-4 Description Terse descriptions of over 1,700 species from the Guianas that bear fruits - not necessarily edible! Often mentions if the fruit is edible, plus gives brief description of habit and habitat. ]. Found in various habitats, including lowland rainforest on terra firme, flooded forest, campina, coastal forest, or scrub forest near the sea, at elevations to 1,000 metres[ 771 Title A Revision of Desmoncus (Arecaceae) Publication Phytotaxa 35; 1-88 Author Henderson A. Website http://www.mapress.com/phytotaxa/ Publisher Magnolia Press; Auckland Year 2011 ISBN 978-1-86977-839-2 Description A good description of each species with fairly detailed notes on habitat. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ].