Prickly mauritiella
Mauritiella aculeata

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A clustering palm. It has a number of stems. They grow 8 m high and are 10 cm across. They are almost white and lie over. They are sometimes twisting. They lean over the water along streams and rivers. The lower portion of the trunk has spines. There is a buttress of aerial roots at the base. The large silvery leaf sheaths form a false crown-shaft. The leaf crowns are open due to the long leaf stalks. The form a half circle or near circle. The leaves are 75 cm wide and circular. They have many segments which extend almost to the leaf stalk. They are dark green above and silvery green underneath. The segments are 1.5 cm wide and hang down at the tips. The fruit are oblong and 4 cm long. They are olive coloured but become reddish-brown as they ripen.

There are 3 Mauritiella species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows along the flooded edges of rivers. It is often near black water streams. It grows at low elevations. In Townsville palmetum.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guianas, Peru, South America, Venezuela

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten after cooking.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Aguajillo, Buritirana, Carana, Caranai, Morichito, Tananacco

Synonyms

Lepidococcus aculeatus (Kunth.) H. Wendl. & Drude ex A.D. Hawkes; Mauritia aculeata Kunth.; Mauritia aculeata of Mart.; Mauritia amazonica Barb. Rodr.; Mauritia cataractorum (Dugand) Balick; Mauritia gracilis Wallace; Mauritia linnophilla Barb. Rodr.; Mauritiella cataractarum Dugand;