Astrocaryum huicungo

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Astrocaryum (ahs-tro-kahr-EE-uhm) huicungo (hoo-ee-KOON-go)
Huicungo44.jpg
Photo-amazonwiki.org
Scientific Classification
Genus: Astrocaryum (ahs-tro-kahr-EE-uhm)
Species: huicungo (hoo-ee-KOON-go)
Synonyms
Astrocaryum murumuru var. huicungo (before 1995)
Native Continent
America
America.gif
Morphology
Habit: Solitary
Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Starnut Palm, Huicungo.

Habitat and Distribution

Peru. Both Terra firme and
Moyobamba, Moyobamba, Peru. Photo by Dr. Jean-Christophe Pintaud/Palmweb.
floodplain forests.

Description

Long and sharp spines on the trunk and part of the leaves. Compound leaves with a feather shape. Epicarp setose; calyx of the pistillate flower hardly shorter than the corolla or equal. Big yellow orange fruit. Hard seed, 7 cm long. Editing by edric.

Culture

Cold Hardiness Zone: 10b

Comments and Curiosities

There are more than a billion Huicungo trees in the rainforest. They grow up to 15 metres and their fruits are edible. Like many trees in the rainforest the Huicungo uses sharp spines on its trunk to protect it. Some birds ie the Long-billed Wood Creeper, are able to forage for insects without becoming impaled.

Uses: The hard seeds of the Huicungo are used to make black rings. New leaf sprout used to make women´s spinning basket. Trunks used rarely as house posts. Fruit is edible for humans and agouti, squirrel, peccaries, etc. Carved seeds used to elaborate rings with an ivory appearance. Leaves used to make brooms. Spines used by tribes from the north to elaborate darts with fiber of kapok at the end. Sharp point is covered with toxin of poison dart frogs to kill prey faster, usually monkeys.



External Links

References

Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.

Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos.

Special thanks to Palmweb.org, Dr. John Dransfield, Dr. Bill Baker & team, for their volumes of information and photos.

Glossary of Palm Terms; Based on the glossary in Dransfield, J., N.W. Uhl, C.B. Asmussen-Lange, W.J. Baker, M.M. Harley & C.E. Lewis. 2008. Genera Palmarum - Evolution and Classification of the Palms. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. All images copyright of the artists and photographers (see images for credits).


Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.

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