Sword like prestoa, Cano
Prestoea ensiformis

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A solitary or cluster palm. It has red stilt roots. It grows 2.5-9 m tall. The stems are 3-13 cm across. There are 5-12 leaves. The leaf sheath is open and does not form a crown-shaft. The leaf stalk is 0.4-2.3 m long with 36-49 narrow leaflets along each side. The flowering stalk is erect and there are 18-60 flowering branches. The fruit are round and 0.7-1 cm across. They are purple-black.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows between 500 and 1700 m altitude in Ecuador. It grows in rainforest on mountain slopes.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Andes, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, South America, West Indies

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Palm hearts, cabbage, fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Chontilla, Cuyol, Dja-pin-sa-chi, Mairi, Palma jibaram Palmiche, Palmita, Rabihorcao

Synonyms

Euterpe ensiformis (Ruiz & Pav.) Mart.; Martinezia ensiformis Ruiz & Pav.; Prestoea darienensis Henderson; Prestoea integrifolia Nevers & Henderson; Prestoea sejuncta L. H. Bailey;