Hyospathe elegans
Mart.
Original
reference:
Hist. nat. palm. 2: 1 (1823)
Morphology:
Understorey palm. Stems clustered, erect or sometimes decumbent with age, to 5 m tall and 2-3 cm in diameter, smooth, with distant leaf scars. Leaves 50-200 cm long, simple or pinnately divided, with up to 25 unequal to nearly equal pinnae on each side; leaf sheath closed, green; petiole channeled above. Inflorescence borne below the leaves, erect, pink at anthesis, red in fruit, branched to one order; peduncle 2-15 cm long; rachis 1-16 cm long; branches to 50, as long as or longer than the rachis. Fruits black, oblong, ca. 10-15 mm long and 3-7 mm in diameter.
Distribution:
Widespread in Central and South America, southward to Bolivia, in the understorey of closed-canopy forest.
Notes:
A variable species that includes several morphological types, differing in size, habit, stem development, and degree of dissection of the leaves. However, intermediate forms exist, linking these together (Skov & Balslev, 1989).
Common
names:
Aganumeba
–
Cofán
(J. Jaramillo #2740).
Aija panga
–
Quichua
(H.B. Pedersen #97653).
Ca wang
–
Quichua
(F. Skov #60129).
Chontilla de llana muncu
–
Spanish
(H. Balslev #4305).
De-de
–
Siona
(H. Balslev #62059).
De-de-hueoco
–
Siona
(H. Balslev #62069).
Dedewekó
–
Siona
(H.B. Pedersen #104021).
Derechu eco
–
Siona
(Balslev & Barfod 1987).
Derehue´co
–
Siona
(H. Balslev #4305).
Hoja de llana-muncu
–
Spanish
(H. Balslev #4305).
Hua´soui
–
Secoya
(J. Jaramillo #2740).
Huasai
–
Quichua
(B. Bergmann #62129).
Lutawe-oco
–
Secoya
(Skov & Balslev 1989a).
Mandi
–
Quichua
(H. Balslev #3059).
Palmas de tinta
–
Spanish
(H. Balslev #4305).
Sapap
–
Achuar
(H.B. Pedersen #97612).
´Zu´je´
–
Cofán
(C. Ceron #119).
Uses:
Leaves are considered good for thatching
(H.B. Pedersen #97612 and additional references).
The palm heart is chewed to blacken and protect the teeth form rotting. Secoyas distinguish between active and not active palms
(Skov & Balslev 1989a
).
The small cupula present on the rachillae when the fruits have fallen is used as a spear in animal hunting
(F. Skov #60129).
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