Ceroxylon parvifrons

Ceroxylon parvifrons
(Engel) H.Wendl.

Original
reference:
In O.C.E.de Kerchove de Denterghem, Palmiers 239 (1878)

Basionym:
Klopstockia parvifrons Engel

Morphology:
Subcanopy palm. Stem solitary, to 15 m tall, 15-35 cm in diameter, grey to white with dark leaf scars. Leaves 2-3.5 m long; pinnae 70-85 on each side, regularly inserted in one plane, stiff, horizontal, the central ones to 50 cm long and 4-5 cm wide, below with a light brown to white, waxy indument. Inflorescences curved to pendulous, to 2 m long, branched 2-3 times. Fruits globose to oblong, 15-25 mm in diameter, smooth, orange-red.

Distribution:
Venezuela to Bolivia in the Andes.

Notes:
The S Ecuadorian plants of C. parvifrons are larger than usual for the species.

Conservation
status: Vulnerable

–
IUCN criteria:
A1c, B1, B2c
(Borchsenius & Skov 1999)

Common
names:
Palma real
–
Spanish
(J.A. Steyermark #52632 ).

Ramos
–
Spanish
(J.A. Steyermark #52632 ).

Uses:

The leaves are occasionally used for easter parades (Zamora-Chincipe)
(Borchsenius et al. 1998).

The white waxy covering on the stem is used for making candles
(J.A. Steyermark #52632 ).

Synonym
list
(4)

Specimen
list