Astrocaryum aculeatissimum

Astrocaryum (ahs-tro-kahr-EE-uhm) aculeatissimum (ah-kool-eh-ah-tees-SEE-muhm)
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Scientific Classification
Genus: Astrocaryum (ahs-tro-kahr-EE-uhm) Species: aculeatissimum (ah-kool-eh-ah-tees-SEE-muhm)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
America
Morphology
Habit: Solitary Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Brejaúva Palm, Ariri, Ariri açu, coconut airi, brejaúba, iri, tucum true.

Habitat and Distribution

Brazil, northeast. Native to Atlantic Coast restingas vegetation, which is an ecosystem of Atlantic Forest biome in Brazil.

"Morro da Santa" a hill of +- 50 m alititde covered with rainforest, Guaratuba, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Photo by Alberto Leonardo Barkema.

Occurring from Santa Catarina to the south of Bahia, in the Atlantic complex, with the exception of the mangrove, reaching the inland forests, usually in areas of higher humidity. An understorey tree of dense coastal tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest, in areas not subject to inundation, on sandy, acidic, and nutrient-poor soils. Found at elevations up to 1,000 metres

Description

Clustering palm with slender, spiny trunks, and slightly arching, flat leaves that are grayish below. It has large, attractive, lightly spined, orange-brown fruits.

Clustering with several trunks or rarely solitary, with 4 to 8 m in height and 12 to 15 cm in diameter, coated thick spines long, strong and black, 6 to 8 cm in length. These spikes produce a beautiful design and give the brejaúva one aspect while ornamental and aggressive. Leaf Crown 10 to 20 sheets measuring 2 to 3 m long, with leaflets are lanceolate, evenly distributed and placed on the same plane pinnae with a dark green on the upper face and bright green underneath. The sheath is fibrous and aculeate. It is a monoecious plant with inflorescence interfoliar, pendulum, 50 cm long and yellow-cream flowers, protected by a leathery spathe covered with thorns. The fruits reach 6 cm long and 3.5 cm diameter, are ovoid, covered by a brown pubescence and have a well-defined projection apical harboring seed red. (From the Portuguese) Editing by edric. Multiple trunks, with 8-10 m tall, densely covered with long thorns, strong and black. Its leaves measure 2-3 m in length and its leaflets are lanceolate, with a dark green on the upper surface and celery color underneath. The sheath is fibrous and aculeate. It is a monoecious plant with inflorescence interfoliar, 50 cm long and yellow-cream flowers, protected by a leathery spathe covered with thorns. The fruits, which come up to 6 cm in length, are ovoid, covered with a brownish pubescence and have a well-defined apical protrusion. Flowering occurs in summer and the fruits ripen in late spring. The fibers of the leaves are used in the production of brooms and hats, and the stipe, very hard, slatted and canes. The liquid endosperm of the young fruit has medicinal properties and is used as a laxative and against jaundice, and in the mature fruit, the fleshy endosperm is shown as a vermifuge. (From the Portuguese)

Culture

The species is adapted to very well-drained and nutrient-poor conditions. Cold Hardiness Zone: 10b

Comments and Curiosities

Uses: Palm of the lowland Atlantic Forest in northeast Brazil. It is said the spines were used as sewing needles by indigenous people, and that the wood is good for making bows. The fruit is apparently good for making pulp and the palm heart is edible, being traded along the road. This plant has a commercial value because it has useful fibers which may be used to make production of brooms. In addition, it is also used as a medicinal plant; the endosperm green fruit is used as liquid and beverage, medicine as a laxative for the treatment of certain fungal diseases, and has anthelmintic activity.

The plant is used extensively locally for medicinal purposes. The fruit is used in the treatment of the bacterial skin disease erysipelas. The liquid endosperm of the unripe seed is laxative. The liquid endosperm of the unripe seed is laxative. It is considered to be useful in the treatment of jaundice. An oil obtained from the mature seed is vermifuge. Other Uses: Sewing needles can be made from the spines on the trunk.The fibres. obtained from the leaves are used locally for making brooms and coarse articles. The leaves are used for making brooms and hats. The wood is used in house construction and for making archery bows and arrows.

Phenology: Sets fruit in summer. The trunk of the tree is covered by rings of very sharp spines, believed by some biologists to have evolved as protection against the extinct Megatherium Giant Ground Sloth. A moderately sized clustering species with slender, spiny trunks, slightly arching, flat leaves that are grayish below, and attractive, large, lightly spiny fruits. It is native to rainforests along the Atlantic coast of southeastern Brazil. An attractive plant for the tropical garden where it should be sited well away from paths and walkways. (RPS.com)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyDZzZyNnLs&feature=youtu.be