Big kamwari, Basket tie-tie rattan
Desmoncus orthacanthos

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A climbing palm. It grows in clusters. The stems are heavily armed. The stems are 2-12 m long and 1.5-2 cm wide. The sheaths have short black spines. The leaves have hooks that curve backwards near the tip. The leaves have leaflets along the stalks. There are 7-25 on each side. The flowering shoots are large. The fruit is bright red and fleshy. There is one seed.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in secondary forests and swamp forests. It grows up to 1,000 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

America, Asia, Belize, Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Indonesia, Mexico, SE Asia, South America (country/location of origin), Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Venezuela

How it is used for food

The fruit and the jelly inside the seed is eaten.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds.

Its other names

Local names

Alakule, Atitara, Bambamaka, Bayal, Grigri palm, Hi yoron, Iatitara, Jacitara, Kamwari, Ratan titi, Tucum-preto, Urubamba, Weheyu

Synonyms

Atitara ataxacantha (Barb.Rodr.) Kuntze; Atitara cuyabaensis (Barb.Rodr.) Barb.Rodr.; Atitara drudeana Kuntze; Atitara horrida (Splitg. ex Mart.) Kuntze; Atitara lophacantha (Mart.) Barb.Rodr.; Atitara macrocarpa (Barb.Rodr.) Barb.Rodr.; Atitara major (Crueg. ex Griseb.) Kuntze; Atitara orthacantha (Mart.) Kuntze; Atitara orthacanthos (Mart.) Barb. Rodr.; Atitara palustris (Trail) Kuntze; Atitara prostrata (Lindm.) Barb.Rodr.; Atitara rudenta (Mart.) Barb.Rodr.; Desmoncus angustisectus Burret; Desmoncus apureanus L.H.Bailey; Desmoncus ataxacanthus Barb.Rodr.; Desmoncus brittonii L.H.Bailey; Desmoncus cuyabaensis Barb.Rodr.; Desmoncus demeraranus L.H.Bailey & H.E.Moore; Desmoncus hartii L.H.Bailey; Desmoncus horridus Splitg. ex Mart.; Desmoncus horridus subsp. apureanus (L.H. Bailey) A.J. Hend.; Desmoncus horridus subsp. palustris (Trail) A.J. Hend.; Desmoncus horridus subsp. prostratus (Lindm.) A.J. Hend.; Desmoncus huebneri Burret; Desmoncus kuhlmannii Burret; Desmoncus leptochaete Burret; Desmoncus longifolius Mart.; Desmoncus lophacanthos Mart.; Desmoncus luetzelburgii Burret; Desmoncus macrocarpus Barb.Rodr.; Desmoncus major Crueg. ex Griseb.; Desmoncus melanacanthos Mart. ex Drude; Desmoncus multijugus Steyerm.; Desmoncus myriacanthos Dugand; Desmoncus orthacanthos var. mitis Drude; Desmoncus orthacanthos var. trailianus Drude; Desmoncus palustris Trail; Desmoncus prostratus Lindm.; Desmoncus rudentum Mart.; Desmoncus tobagonis L.H.Bailey; Desmoncus velezii L.H.Bailey; Desmoncus werdermannii Burret;