Astrocaryum ulei

Botanical Description

Astrocaryum ulei is a spiny,evergreen palm stemless when young but developing a short stem with age. It produces a rosette of about 11 leaves that can be up to 5 metres tall including the petiole. The leaves are armed with flattened spines that can be 30cm long and 1cm wide at the base[ 1874 Title Astrocaryum (Palmae) in Amazonia. A Preliminary Treatment Publication Bull. Inst. Fr. Études Andines 1992, 21 (2): 459-531 Author Kahn F. & Millán B. Publisher Year 1992 ISBN Description ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.