Prestoea acuminata var. montana
(Graham) A. J. Hend. & Galeano
Sierra palm
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(c) Martin Reith, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Martin Reith
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(c) kmuldoon30, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Martin Reith, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Summary
Source: WikipediaPrestoea acuminata var. montana (vernacular English: Sierran palm; vernacular Spanish: palma de sierra) is a perennial palm in the family Arecaceae.
Description
A palm. It grows about 20 m tall. The trunk is 10-20 cm across. The leaf sheath is about 40 cm long. The leaves are about 2 m long and 1 m wide. The leaflets are long and narrow.
Edible Uses
The fruit is the favorite food of the Puerto Rican parrot.
Traditional Uses
The inner leaf sheaths or palm heart is up to 1 m long and 10 cm wide but eating this kills the palm.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Distribution
It is a tropical plant. It grows near the streams in the higher regions in Puerto Rico.
Where It Grows
Antilles, Bolivia, Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, South America, Tobago, USA, West Indies,
Synonyms
References (4)
- Grandtner, M. M. & Chevrette, J., 2013, Dictionary of Trees, Volume 2: South America: Nomenclature, Taxonomy and Ecology. Academic Press p 532
- Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 304 (As Euterpe montana)
- 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 701
- Little, E. L. & Wadsworth, F. H., 1964, Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. USDA Agriculture Handbook No. 249 (As Prestoea montana)
