Stilt palm
Socratea exorrhiza

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A solitary palm. It grows to 22 m high. The trunk is 15 cm wide. It is light brown and has darker widely spaced rings of old leaf base scars. There are stilt roots 2-3 m high at the base. These have sharp spines. The crown-shaft is 2 m tall. The leaf crown forms half a circle. The leaves are 2-2.6 m long with leaf stalks 30 cm long. The leaflets are 60 cm long. The flowering branches are 30 cm long. The fruit are yellow and 2.5 cm long.

There are 3-5 Socratea species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. They grow in tropical rainforest. They need constant moisture and high humidity. They are killed by temperatures below 13°C. In tropical America it grows from sea level to 1130 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Andes, Bolivia, Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guianas, Guyana, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, South America, Suriname, Venezuela

How it is used for food

The palm heart is bitter. It is sometimes eaten. It is boiled.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds, flowers, palm heart, cabbage

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Achudazamons, Acuna, Anaccu tssatssa'vo, Araa-yek, Araco joven, Awara-monbin, Baba, Boba, Bombon, Buba, Buro, Buxpu, Cachuda, Cashapona, Chonta, Chiquita, Choapo, Chonta, Jira, Gualte crespo, Huachapona, Huacra, Huacrapona, Kupat, Macanilla, Manakasi, Maquegue, Maquenque, Nico, Onipa, Pachiubilla, Pachuba, Palmito amargo, Paxiuba, Pinlla chi, Shiim, Shikita yura, Tepa, Zancona

Synonyms

Iriartea durissima Oerst.; Iriartea exorrhiza Mart.; Iriartea exorrhiza var. elegans (H. Karst.)Drude; Iriartea exorrhiza var. orbigniana (Mart.)Drude; Iriartea orbigniana Mart.; Iriartea philonotia Barb. Rodr.; Socratea albolineata Steyerm.; Socratea durissima (Oerst.)H. Wendl.; Socratea elegans H. Karst.; Socratea gracilis Burret; Socratea hoppei Burret; Socratea macrochlamys Burret; Socratea microchlamys Burret; Socratea orbigniana (Mart.)H. Karst.; Socratea philonotia (Barb. Rodr.) hook.f.;