Arecaceae FAMILY

Phytelephas macrocarpa

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

0/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Vegetable ivory is usually a single-stemmed, evergreen palm growing up to 3 metres tall. The unbranched stem can be subterranean or short and sometimes creeping up to 2 metres long; it can be 30cm in diameter and topped by 12 - 20 leaves[ 412 Title Illustrated Guide to the Trees of Peru Publication Author Pennington, T.D.; Reynel, C. & Daza, A. Publisher David Hunt; Sherbourne, England. Year 2004 ISBN 0 9538134 3 6 Description A very terse guide to the trees of Peru, managing to give basic guides to a large number of genera, with more detail on a few species in each genus. , 423 Title Desert Tropicals Publication Author Website http://www.desert-tropicals.com/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description The main focus of the site is succulent plants, but it also contains information on a wide range of other species. Usually at least one good photograph, plus basic information about the plant and its cultivation. , 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. ]. The plant is used in various ways locally as a food. The hard seed is a form of vegetable ivory, which is used in craftwork. The seeds of this and various other species of vegetable ivory palms are commonly gathered from the wild and exported in large quantities from Panama and South America, to be used as a substitute for ivory - a great variety of articles being fashioned from them[ 469 Title Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol. 27 Publication Author Standley P.C. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Smithsonian Institute; Washington. Year 1928 ISBN Description Contains a Flora of the Panama Canal zone ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeS. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru.

HabitatRainforest[ 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. ]. Lowland rainforests on alluvial soil[ 412 Title Illustrated Guide to the Trees of Peru Publication Author Pennington, T.D.; Reynel, C. & Daza, A. Publisher David Hunt; Sherbourne, England. Year 2004 ISBN 0 9538134 3 6 Description A very terse guide to the trees of Peru, managing to give basic guides to a large number of genera, with more detail on a few species in each genus. , 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. ].