Astrocaryum standleyanum

L. H. Bailey

Tucan nuts, Black palm

Arecaceae Edible: Nuts, Seeds, Fruit, Palm hearts, Cabbage 488 iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Summary

Astrocaryum standleyanum is a species of palm known by many common names, including black palm, chonta, chontadura, coquillo, palma negra, pejibaye de montaña, güerre, güérregue, güinul, mocora, pucaishchi (Chachi), chunga (Emberá), and chunga palm. It is native to Central and South America, where its distribution extends from Costa Rica to Ecuador. It is most common in central Panama, even becoming abundant in the tropical forests around the Panama Canal, but in general it is not a common plant.

Description

A spiny palm. It grows 6-15 m high. The trunk is 16-22 cm across. It has a solitary trunk and a crown of dark green leaves. The leaves are feather like but spiny. There are 11-18 leaves which spread horizontally and curve. They are 4 m long. The trunk is stout and covered with short, flat, black spines. The fruit are orange-red. They occur in large clusters which hang down on stalks. The hard seeds have star shaped marks on one end.

Edible Uses

The fruit are eaten fresh, and the nuts are also consumed. The palm hearts and seedlings are edible portions that are eaten as vegetables. The nuts are also fed to farm animals.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten. The palm hearts are eaten. The seedlings are eaten.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows in lowland rainforest on poorly drained soils and usually below 200 m altitude.

Where It Grows

Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, South America,

Cultivation

Seeds are difficult to germinate.

Other Uses

Fibres obtained from the youngest leaves are used to weave a range of items, such as bags and hammocks, which are used locally and also traded. The hard endocarp of various Amazonian species is commonly used to make beads and ornaments for necklaces The hard stems are used in house construction.

Production

Young plants grow at a steady rate.

Notes

There are about 40-50 Astrocaryum species. The nuts are fed to farm animals.

Nutrition

Part	Moisture	kJ	kcal	Protein	Vit A	Vit C	Iron	Zinc
Fruit	0	—	—	4.8	—	—	—	—
Palm heart	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Synonyms

Astrocaryum standleyanum var. calimense Dugand

Also Known As

Awara nuts, Chunga, Gueggegue, Gerregue, Joro, Mocora, Panama nuts, Pejiyabe, Pukaijchi, Winul

References (18)

Balick, M.J. and Beck, H.T., (Ed.), 1990, Useful palms of the World. A Synoptic Bibliography. Colombia p 57, 225, 437, 561, 658,
Barfod, A. S. & Kvist, L. P., 1996, Comparative Ethnobotanical Studies of the Amerindian Groups in Coastal Ecuador. The Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters. p 77
Bircher, A. G. & Bircher, W. H., 2000, Encyclopedia of Fruit Trees and Edible Flowering Plants in Egypt and the Subtropics. AUC Press. p 46
Condit, R., et al, 2011, Trees of Panama and Costa Rica. PrincetonField Guides. p 78
Galeano, G., 2000, Forest Use at the Pacific Coast of Choco, Colombia: A Quantitative Approach. Economic Botany, Vol. 54, No. 3, pp. 358-376

Show all 18 references

Gentes Herb. 3:88. 1933
Gibbons, M., 2003, A pocket guide to Palms. Chartwell Books. p 42
Grandtner, M. M., 2008, World Dictionary of Trees. Wood and Forest Science Department. Laval University, Quebec, Qc Canada. (Internet database http://www.WDT.QC.ca)
Grandtner, M. M. & Chevrette, J., 2013, Dictionary of Trees, Volume 2: South America: Nomenclature, Taxonomy and Ecology. Academic Press p 50
Henderson, A., Galeano, G and Bernal, R., 1995, Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas. Princeton. p 206
Johnson, D.V., 1998, Tropical palms. Non-wood Forest products 10. FAO Rome. p 90
Lopez-Diago, D. & Garcia, N., 2021, Wild edible fruits of Colombia. Biota ColomBiana 22 (2) p 30
Marcia, M. J., et al, 2011, Palm Uses in Northwestern South America: A Quantitative Review. Bot. Rev. (2011) 77:462-570
Menninger, E.A., 1977, Edible Nuts of the World. Horticultural Books. Florida p 126
Riffle, R.L. & Craft, P., 2003, An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press. p 41, 264
Roa, J. A. G. & Boada, D. S. G., 2018, Fundación para el Fortalecimiento de la Fruticultura y Plantas Alimenticias no Convencionales en Colombia.
Torre, de la L., et al, 2008, Enciclopedia de las Plantas Útiles del Ecuador. Herbario QCA. Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. p 194
World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew