Yolillo palm, American raphia palm
Raphia taedigera

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A palm which produces suckers. The trunks are 3-9 m tall. There are pneumatophores or breathing roots between the plants. There can be roots on the trunk up to 1 m above ground. The fronds are 12-20 m long and arching. The fruit are shiny and brown. They are 7 cm long by 4 cm wide.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in swamp forests. It occurs in lowland rainforest. In Townsville palmetum.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Australia, Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Micronesia, Nicaragua, Pacific, Palau, Panama, SE Asia, Singapore, South America

How it is used for food

It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Sap, palm sugar, fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Jupati, Jurubati, Matomba, Nadi, Pangana, Yolillo

Synonyms

Metroxylon taedigerum (Mart.) Spreng.; Raphia aulacolepis Burret; Raphia nicaraguensis Oerst.; Raphia vinifera var. nicaraguensis (Oerst.) Drude; Raphia vinifera var. taedigera (Mart.) Drude; Sagus taedigera Mart.;