Jubaea chilensis

Botanical Description

Jubaea chilensis is an evergreen, single-stemmed palm tree that can grow up to 25 metres tall. The massive, straight, cylindrical, unbranched trunk can be 150cm or more in diameter, topped by a dense, hemispherical rosette of long, pinnate leaves each of which can be up to 360cm long[ 11 Title Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Publication Author Bean. W. Publisher Murray Year 1981 ISBN - Description A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures. , 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. , 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. ] Allied to the coconut (Cocos nucifera) with similar but smaller fruits, Jubaea chilensis is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials. The sap and the seeds are traded commercially, the sap being made into wine, syrup etc whilst the young nuts are sold as a snack food[ 347 Title Tropical Palms Publication Non-Wood Forest Products No. 10 Author Johnson D.V. Website http://www.fao.org/docrep/ Publisher FAO, Rome Year 2011 ISBN 978-92-5-106742-0 Description A terse guide to some of the uses of palms. Also available for download from the web. (Search for "FAO Tropical Palms") ]. Jubaea chilensis has a narrow distribution in valleys close to the sea, with its distribution being highly fragmented by human action since the trees were cut to extract sap in the past, although now this threat is controlled. At present threats are more related to climate change, an increase of fire risk, urbanization, invasive alien species and the extraction of seeds for human consumption. The plant is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2021)[ 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. ].