Syagrus botryophora

(Mart.) Mart.

Pati, Patioba

Arecaceae Edible: Seeds - oil, Palm hearts, Cabbage 46 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Syagrus botryophora is a species of flowering plant in the family Arecaceae. It is endemic to Brazil. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Description

A solitary palm. They are 6-18 m tall. The trunks are 15-25 cm across. There are 10-15 leaves. they are 3 m long. They arch over. There are 100-150 leaflets on each side of the leaf. The leaflets are rigid and point upwards forming a V shape. They are regularly arranged. The flowering stalks are woody. They are very thick and deeply grooved. There are 30-50 flowering branches. The fruit are oval. They are 3.5-4.5 cm long and 2.2-2.5 cm wide. They are white to yellow.

Edible Uses

The seeds are rich in edible oil. The palm hearts can be eaten as a cabbage after treatment to remove bitterness.

Traditional Uses

The seeds are rich in edible oil. The palm hearts are bitter until treated.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

The palm hearts have traditional use despite their natural bitterness until treated.

Distribution

A tropical plant. They grow in lowland rainforest on clayey soils. They grow below 400 m altitude. It grows in coastal areas.

Where It Grows

Brazil, South America,

Cultivation

An easily grown and fast-growing plant that is tolerant of a wide range of conditions so long as there is an adequate supply of moisture to the roots. Established plants are drought resistant. A fast-growing plant.

Other Uses

The stems are used in construction.

Notes

There are about 32 Syagrus species. They grow in South America.

Synonyms

Arecastrum romanzoffianum var. botryophora (Mart.) Becc.Cocos botryophora Mart.

References (6)

Balick, M.J. and Beck, H.T., (Ed.), 1990, Useful palms of the World. A Synoptic Bibliography. Colombia p 130, 561 (As Cocos botryphora),
Henderson, A., Galeano, G and Bernal, R., 1995, Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas. Princeton. p 143
Hist. nat. palm. 3:292, t. 166. 1845 (A. D. d'Orbigny, Voy. Amerique mer. 7(3). Palmiers 133. 1847)
Janick, J. & Paul, R. E. (Eds.), 2008, The Encyclopedia of Fruit & Nuts. CABI p 159
Kermath, B. M., et al, 2014, Food Plants in the Americas: A survey of the domesticated, cultivated and wild plants used for Human food in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. On line draft. p 841

Show all 6 references

Oliviera V. B., et al, 2012, Native foods from Brazilian biodiversity as a source of bioactive compounds. Food Research International 48 (2012) 170-179