Catinga palm
Euterpe catinga

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A palm. It can be in clusters or be solitary. It grows 4-16 m tall. The trunks are 3.5-15 cm across. They are grey and have a cone of roots at the base. There are 6-11 leaves. The crown-shaft is usually orange. It often has black fibres at the top. The leaf stalk has black scales. The leaflets spread horizontally. The flowering branches are 2.5-4 mm across. They are covered with light brown hairs. The fruit are round and purple-black. They are 0.8-1.3 cm across.

There are between 7 and 18 Euterpe species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in open forest on poorly drained acidic soils. It grows between 1,100-1,800 m altitude. In the Cairns Botanical Gardens.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Andes, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, South America, Venezuela

How it is used for food

Fruit pulp is used for drinks

Edible parts

Fruit, flower

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Acaf de Catinga, Acaizinho, Asai de sabana, Asai paso, Guasi pequeno, Huasai de varillal, Manaca, Manaca banera

Synonyms

Euterpe aurantiaca H. E. Moore; Euterpe caatinga Spruce; Euterpe catinga var. aurantiaca Drude; Euterpe concinna Burret; Euterpe controversa Barb.Rodr.; Euterpe mollissima Barb.Rodr.;