Thorny ruffle palm, Coyure palm, Chonta palm
Aiphanes horrida

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A palm with a single trunk. The trunk is 10 cm across. It grows to 10 m tall. It has long, black, brittle spines on the trunk, leaf stalks and leaflets. The spines are 10 cm long. The spines on the trunk are in rings. It spans 2.4 m wide. The leaves have jagged leaflets. The leaflets are irregularly spaced and with spines on the lower surface. They are dark green and feather like. The leaflets are clustered and have blunt tips. They are somewhat wedge shaped. This gives a ruffled appearance. The flowers are yellow and in short sprays. The fruit are in clusters and are orange-red to scarlet. They are 1-2 cm across. The fruit are edible.

There are about 38 Aiphanes species. They grow in tropical America.

Where it is found

A tropical and subtropical plant. Large plants grow grow with part shade or full sun. It prefers a rich, damp, well-drained soil. It grows in tropical America between sea level and 1700 m altitude but is more common between 500-1500 m. It suits hardiness zones 11-12.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Andes, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Belgium, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Europe, Hawaii, Indonesia, North America, Pacific, Panama, Peru, SE Asia, Singapore, South America (country/location of origin), Trinidad & Tobago, USA, Venezuela, West Indies

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw. The seeds are used in candies and for drinks.

The fruit are sold in markets.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds, vegetable

How it is grown

It can be grown from seed. Seed germinate readily in about 2 months.

Seedlings are slow growing in their early years.

Its other names

Local names

Cariota-de-espinho, Chascaraza, Chica chica, Cocos rura, Corozo, Corozo anchame, Corozo colorado, Corozo chiquito, Corozo del orinoco, Coyupe palm, Gualte, Macuguita, Marara, Mararabe, Mararave, Mararay, Pujamo

Synonyms

Aiphanes aculeata Willd.; Aiphanes caryotifolia (Kunth.) H. Wendl.; Aiphanes elegans (Linden & H. Wendl.) H. Wendl.; Aiphanes ernestii (Burret)Burret; Aiphanes horrida (Jacq.) Burret; Aiphanes killipii (Burret) Burret; Aiphanes orinocensis Burret; Aiphanes praemorsa (Poepp. ex Mart.) Burret; Aiphanes truncata (Brogn. ex Mart.) H. Wendl.; Bactris praemorsa Poepp. ex Mart.; Caryota horrida Jacq.; Euterpe aculeata (Willd.) Spreng.; Marara aculeata (Willd.) H. Karst.; Marara bicuspidata H. Karst.; Marara caryotifolia Kunth.; Martinezia aculeata (Willd.) Klotzsch Martinezia aiphanes Mart.; Martinezia caryotifolia Kunth.; Martinezia elegans Linden & H. Wendl.; Martinezia ernestii Burret; Martinezia killipii Burret; Martinezia truncata Brogn. ex Mart,; Tilmia caryotifolia (Kunth.) O.F.Cook;