Attalea rostrata

Oerst.

Liebmann scheelea

Arecaceae Edible: Seeds - oil, Sap, Palm cabbage, Fruit 1,082 iNaturalist observations

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Description

A large palm. It often does not have a trunk but the trunk can be 3-6 m tall. It is thick. The leaves are large and 3.5 m long. There are many fruit about 5 cm long.

Edible Uses

The centre of the stem (palm cabbage) is eaten raw or cooked. The seeds yield oil, and the fruit and sap are also edible.

Traditional Uses

The centre of the stem is eaten raw or cooked.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It grows near sea level.

Where It Grows

Asia, Central America*, Colombia, China, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, South America,

Other Uses

The leaves are commonly used as a thatch. The leaves are used to make suyacales (rain capes) and sopladores (the fans so necessary for starting kitchen fires, particularly those burning charcoal). Bunches of the nerves from the leaves are used as brooms and coarse brushes. An oil extracted from the seed is used for making soap. The oil is also used to make 'Jabon Vegetal' which is highly esteemed in Guatemala for toilet purposes. The nuts are cut transversely and shaped to make small pipe bowls. The trunks are used for various kinds of construction and sometimes for fuel.

Synonyms

Attalea liebmannii (Becc.) ZonaAttalea lundellii (Bartlett) ZonaCocos regia Liebm.Scheelea costaricensis BurretScheelea liebmannii Becc.Scheelea lundellii BartlettScheelea preussii BurretScheelea rostrata (Oerst.) BurretScheelea zonensis L. H. Bailey

Also Known As

Corozo, Coyo real, Palma real, Preuss scheelea

References (8)

Gonzalez-Martin, R. M., et al, 2012, Traditional wetland palm uses in construction and cooking in Veracruz, Gulf of Mexico. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. Vol 1(3) :408-413 (As Attalea liebmannii)
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) (Also as Scheelea preusii)
Grandtner, M. M. & Chevrette, J., 2013, Dictionary of Trees, Volume 2: South America: Nomenclature, Taxonomy and Ecology. Academic Press p 52
Hazlett, D. L., 1986, Ethnobotanical Observations from Cabecar and Guaymi Settlements in Central America. Economic Botany 40(3): 339-352 (As Scheelea rostrata)
Mapes, C. & Basurto, F., 2016, Biodiversity and Edible Plants of Mexico. Chapter 5 in R. Lira, et al. (eds.), Ethnobotany of Mexico, Ethnobiology, Springer. p 102 (As Scheelea liebmannii)

Show all 8 references

Piedra-Malagón, E. M. et al, 2022, Edible native plants of the Gulf of Mexico Province. Biodiversity Data Journal 10: e80565 p 11
Reyes-Garcia, V., et al, 2006, Cultural, Practical and Economic Value of Wild Plants: A Quantitative Study in the Bolivian Amazon. Economic Botany 60(1):62-74
Standley, P. & Steyermark, J., 1958, Flora of Guatemala. Fieldiana: Botany, Volume 24 part 1 p 290 (As Scheelea preussii)