Astrocaryum alatum
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Astrocaryum alatum adult palm in the forest (MBC photo: 20060130 CR06HA). Photograph courtesy of Montgomery Botanical Center http://www.montgomerybotanical.org/ |
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Astrocaryum alatum inflorescence. Photograph courtesy of Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, Guide to Palms http://palmguide.org/index.php |
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Astrocaryum alatum fruit. Photograph courtesy of Scott Zona. |
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Astrocaryum alatum seeds. (MBC photo: 040919-1). Photograph courtesy of Montgomery Botanical Center http://www.montgomerybotanical.org/ |
Common name
coquito Palm, coquillo
Description
Stem: Solitary, to 7 m tall and up to 18 cm in diameter, covered with spines from attached leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
bases. Leaves: Pinnatepinnate:
like a feather; palms with pinnate leaves usually have compound leaflets attached to a rachis, although a pinnate leaf may be entire with pinnate veins (e.g., <em>Chamaedorea metallica</em>)
, to 3 m long, with a spiny, arching rachisrachis:
an extension of the petiole through the blade of a pinnate leaf to which leaflets are attached
. Leaflets spread in one plane but are of unequal width; they are regularly spaced along the rachisrachis:
an extension of the petiole through the blade of a pinnate leaf to which leaflets are attached
. Flowers and fruit: Inflorescence inflorescence:
the reproductive structure of a flowering plant, including palms, consisting of flowers and associated bracts
surrounded by a woody, spine-covered spathe. Flowers pale cream-colored. Fruits oblong to globose, yellow-brown and spine covered, crowded together into the spathe.
Diagnostic features
Solitary palm, stem covered with spiny leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
bases and leaflets of unequal width spreading in a single plane.
May be confused with
Astrocaryum mexicanum, but this palm's stem is not covered with persistent, spiny leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
bases.
Distribution
Native to Nicaragua, Costacosta:
mid-rib or vein
Rica, and Panama
Scientific name
Astrocaryum alatum H.F.Loomis
Family
Arecaceae/Palmae
Synonyms
Hexopetion alatum ( H.F.Loomis ) F.Kahn & Pintaud
