Attalea crassispatha

Botanical Description

Attalea crassispatha is a single-stemmed, evergreen palm growing up to 20 metres tall. The unbranched stem can be up to 35cm in diameter; it is topped by a crown of 15 - 19 large leaves that can be 7 metres long[ 768 Title Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas Publication Author Henderson A.; Galeano G.; Bernal R. Publisher Princeton University Press; Princeton, New Jersey. Year 1995 ISBN 0-691-08537-4 Description An excellent book, giving basic information on all the 550 species of palms native to the Americas that were known in 1995. Comprehensive information on the plants range and habitat, brief description, some uses and almost 250 photos. , 769 Title A Taxonomic Treatment of the Palm Subtribe Attaleinae (Tribe Cocoeae) Publication Illinois Biological Monographs 59 Author Glassman S.F. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher University of Illinois Press; Chicago. Year 1999 ISBN 0-252-06786-X Description An in depth treatment of the Palm Subtribe Attaleinae. As well as a detailed study of the species, it also mentions various of their uses. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of food and wood. Confined to the south-west peninsula of Haiti, in 1996, fewer than 30 individuals were found in two adjacent river valleys. The species is threatened by encroaching agriculture and local exploitation of the edible seeds. The plant is classified as 'Critically Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].