Palma, Pumbo
Ceroxylon echinulatum

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A solitary palm. It grows 12-20 m tall. The trunk is 25-30 cm across. The trunk is greenish to white and has a thin layer of wax. There are 8-17 leaves and they form an almost round crown. There are 91-102 leaflets on each side of the leaf. They are regularly spaced and hang down. The lower surface has a thin yellow covering. The fruit are round and red. The fruit are 2 cm across. The fruit are covered with short blunt spines. The seeds are edible.

There are about 20 Ceroxylon species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in humid forests. It grows about 1300 m altitude in Ecuador.

Countries/locations it is found in

Ecuador, South America

How it is used for food

The seeds are roasted or cooked before eating. The base of the fruit stalk is boiled and used in salads.

Edible parts

Seeds, fruit stalk

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Ramito

Synonyms

Ceroxylon alpinum subsp. ecuadorense Galeano;