Crespa
Socratea rostrata

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A solitary palm. It grows 25 m tall. The trunk is 13 cm across. There is a cone of 15-26 stilt roots around the base of the palm. There are 4-7 leaves. They have a feather-like appearance. The leaflets are divided and the tips hang down. The flower stalk has 4 bracts. There are 8-11 flowering branches. These can be 60 cm long and 5 mm across. The fruit is oval and has a beak at the tip. The fruit are 3.5 cm long by 2.5 cm wide. They are yellowish-brown.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in mountain forest between 1,000-1,400 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Andes, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, South America

How it is used for food

The palm hearts are eaten. The young seeds are eaten.

Edible parts

Cabbage, palm heart, seeds, fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Buro, Chingu, Chinku, Chonta cade, Chonta, Crespa, Gualte, Huagrachanga, Kasha puna, Kupat, Naquenque, Pambil, Patudo, Tssatssavo'jin

Synonyms

Metasocratea hecatonandra Dugand; Socratea hecatonandra (Dugand) R.Bernal; Socratea montana R.Bernal & A.J.Hend.;