Ceroxylon alpinum Bonpl. ex D.C. Morphology: Canopy palm. Stem solitary, to 20 m tall, 15-30 cm in diameter, white with black leaf scars, or more rarely grey to brown. Leaves to 5 m long; pinnae ca. 100 on each side, regularly inserted in one plane, often somewhat pendulous, green and glabrous above, below silverish white and with a thin wax layer, the central pinnae 70-90 cm long and 3-4 cm wide. Inflorescences arching to pendulous, to 3 m long, branched 3 times. Fruits globose, 1-2 cm in diameter, slightly rough, red at maturity. Distribution: Venezuela to Ecuador along the Andes. Notes: Two subspecies are recognised. The subspecies that occurs in Ecuador, subsp. ecuadorense Galeano, is endemic to that country.

Fruting individual of Ceroxylon alpinum var. ecuadorense on pasture near Nanegalito (Pichincha province) on the western slopes of the Andes Photo: F. Borchsenius Palms of Ecuador Home Ceroxylon Ceroxylon alpinum subsp. ecuadorense