Buri da praia, Cachando palm
Allagoptera brevicalyx
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
A small clumping palm. The stem is underground. The crown may only be 8 leaves. Each leaf is about 1 m long. The leaf sheath and stalk are covered with woolly hairs. There are 50-80 leaflets on a leaf. These are sword shaped and in irregular groups along the stalk. They have lobes at the tip. They are glossy green on the upper surface and dull underneath. The fruiting stalk is simple and unbranched. The fruit are oval and 1.5-2 cm long.
This is a palm under threat of extinction. Plants should be cultivated before harvesting, not collected from the wild. There are 4 Allagoptera species.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows in low scattered vegetation near sand dunes along the coast.
Countries/locations it is found in
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, South America
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Fruit