Mauritiella armata

Abstract

Another of the many wetland palms in Amazonia, this slender-trunked palm typically forms clumps and produces scaly fruits which are peeled to feast on the pulp surrounding the single seed. The trunks are armed with sizeable conical spines so the fruits are obtained either by picking them up from the ground or chopping the palms down. Eventually, the latter practice will lead to a growing scarcity of this elegant palm.