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Euterpe edulis
| Family Name: | Arecaceae (Palmae) |
| Synonyms: | Euterpe espiritosantensis, Euterpe edulis var. clausa, Euterpe egusquizae, Euterpe egusquizae, Euterpe espiritosantensis |
| Common Name: | Assai Palm, Palmito, Yayih, Jussara Palm, 可食埃塔棕, 纤叶棕 |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Monocotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Palm (Solitary Habit, Clustered Habit) |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Maximum Height | 9 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Brazil |
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Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | A tall, medium sized, slender, moderately fast-growing, solitary, occasionally clumping palm with an attractive crown of pendulous fronds, and a prominent orange-bronze crownshaft. |
|---|---|
| Trunk | Trunk smooth, solitary, occasionally clumping, light grey, up to15cm diameter, ringed with old leaf scars; crownshaft orange-bronze. |
| Foliage | Fronds pinnate (feather-shaped), arching, up to 3 m long and 1.5 m wide. |
| Others - Plant Morphology | Flower: Inflorescences cream, arising from the base of the fronds. Fruit: Fruits globose, about 1 cm in diamater, brown to black on drooping clusters. |
| Cultivation | Being water-loving, it likes moist but well-drained soils. Prefers partial shade when young, but can take full sun as it matures. It also tolerates water-logging when established. Propagate by seeds, which will germinate in 2 to 4 months, given that they have been leached in water held at 30°C for seventy-two hours (eigthy percent germination compared to thirty percent germination untreated after twenty-four days). |
| Etymology | The genus epithet 'Euterpe' comes from a Greek mythological name for one of the nine goddesses of the liberal arts. Its species epithet 'edulis' means edible in Latin, as the fruit is edible and commonly eaten the natives in South America. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Food (Herb or Spice) Others: The palm heart is typically steamed and eaten by the natives. It is often called 'millioniares salad' due to its price. Fruits are used to prepare a drink that is quite popular in Brazil called 'asai'. The pulp from the trunk is also eaten in Paraná, one of the states of Brazil, located in the South of the country, bordered on the north by São Paulo state. The harvested leaf crown is known as 'palmito'. |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Semi-Shade, Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate |
Foliar
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
|---|---|
| Foliar Shape(s) | Palm Fronds (Pinnate / Feather) |
| Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio | 4.0 (Palm - Cluster) |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Trunk Type (Palm) | Aboveground, Clustering Habit |
|---|
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower Colour(s) | Cream / Off-White |
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Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Black, Brown |
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Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 1334 |
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| Species ID | 2627 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
