Ceroxylon echinulatum

Botanical Description

Ceroxylon echinulatum is a single-stemmed, evergreen palm growing 12 - 20 metres tall. The unbranched stem can be 25 - 30cm in diameter; it is covered with a thin layer of wax; and is topped by a crown of 8 - 17 large leaves[ 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 tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of timber. A palm endemic to Ecuador and Peru, where it is known from two isolated subpopulations on the eastern Andean slopes, at elevations from 1,500 - 2,000 metres. The main threats are deforestation and the destructive harvest of its leaves for artistic use in Easter celebrations. The plant is classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[ 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. ].