Cuban copernicia
Copernicia hospita

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A palm. The stems are 4-8 m tall and 12-30 cm wide. Sometimes they can be swollen at the base and there can also be side shoots. The leaves are spreading and fan shaped. The leaf stalks are long. The leaves are round in outline. They are grey and waxy on the under-surface. They do not have thorns along the edge. The flowering stalk is longer than the leaves. The flowering branches are 0.5-3.5 cm long and 1-2.5 mm wide. They are hairy and the bracts are tube shaped. The fruit are round and 1.7-2 mm across. They are black. The plant varies a lot.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in Cuba in open savannah and woodland. It is at low elevations and often near mangroves.

Countries/locations it is found in

Central America, Cuba (country/location of origin), West Indies

How it is used for food

The fruit are used as an occasional food harvested in forests.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

It is very slow growing.

Its other names

Local names

Guano cano, Yarey

Synonyms

Copernicia clarensis Leon; Copernicia curbeloi Leon; Copernicia curtisii Becc.; Copernicia x escarzana Leon; Copernicia holguinensis Leon; Copernicia hospita var. clarensis Leon; Copernicia humicola Leon; Copernicia molineti Leon; Copernicia molineti var. cuneata Leon; Copernicia occidentalis Leon; Copernicia pauciflora Burret; Copernicia roigii Leon; Copernicia sueroana (Leon) Leon; Copernicia sueroana var. semiorbicularis Leon; Copernicia textilis Leon; Copernicia yarey Burret; Copernicia yarey var. robusta Leon' Copernicia yarey var. yarey;