Xila, Sacha anguaillo
Chelyocarpus ulei

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A single stem palm. It grows 1-8 m tall. The stem is 4-7 cm across. There are 10-15 leaves. The blade is 1-1.5 m across. It is white on the lower surface. The leaves are split into 5-12 leaflets.

There are 4 Chelyocarpus species.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in lowland rainforest in the Amazon. It grows in both flooded and non flooded areas. It is usually below 500 m altitude but can be up to 900 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, South America

How it is used for food

Vegetable salt is extracted from the burnt stems in Colombia. The liquid endosperm is drunk. The fruit is eaten.

Edible parts

Ash - salt, fruit, seed

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Chila, Gabamo, Gaban, Gabana, Gabawe, Ne'e, Sacha bombanaje, Ushpa aguaje, Xila

Synonyms

Tessmanniophoenix longibracteata Burret;