Attalea colenda
(O.F.Cook) Balslev & A.J.Hend.
Arecaceae
This name is not universally accepted. The plant's origins are uncertain and some botanists believe it is either an inter-generic hybrid, involving the genera Orbignya, Attalea, and Maximiliana; or it is best dealt with in the genus Ynesa[
769- Title
- A Taxonomic Treatment of the Palm Subtribe Attaleinae (Tribe Cocoeae)
- Publication
- Illinois Biological Monographs 59
- Author
- Glassman S.F.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- University of Illinois Press; Chicago.
- Year
- 1999
- ISBN
- 0-252-06786-X
- Description
- An in depth treatment of the Palm Subtribe Attaleinae. As well as a detailed study of the species, it also mentions various of their uses.
].
Common Name:
Plants growing in Ecuador
Photograph by: AAU palm archive'
Image credit to Palmweb
Plants growing in Ecuador
Photograph by: AAU palm archive'
Image credit to Palmweb
Inflorescence
Photograph by: F. Borchsenius'
Image credit to Palmweb
General Information
Attalea colenda is a single-stemmed, evergreen palm growing up to 30 metres or more tall. The unbranched stem can be 30 - 50cm in diameter; it has numerous adventitious roots at the base; and is topped by a crown of 15 - 25 large leaves that can each be up to 8.5 metres long[
768- Title
- Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas
- Publication
-
- Author
- Henderson A.; Galeano G.; Bernal R.
- Publisher
- Princeton University Press; Princeton, New Jersey.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 0-691-08537-4
- Description
- An excellent book, giving basic information on all the 550 species of palms native to the Americas that were known in 1995. Comprehensive information on the plants range and habitat, brief description, some uses and almost 250 photos.
,
769- Title
- A Taxonomic Treatment of the Palm Subtribe Attaleinae (Tribe Cocoeae)
- Publication
- Illinois Biological Monographs 59
- Author
- Glassman S.F.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- University of Illinois Press; Chicago.
- Year
- 1999
- ISBN
- 0-252-06786-X
- Description
- An in depth treatment of the Palm Subtribe Attaleinae. As well as a detailed study of the species, it also mentions various of their uses.
].
The plant produces huge inflorescences, making it commercially economic to gather them from the wild for large-scale oil extraction[
768- Title
- Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas
- Publication
-
- Author
- Henderson A.; Galeano G.; Bernal R.
- Publisher
- Princeton University Press; Princeton, New Jersey.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 0-691-08537-4
- Description
- An excellent book, giving basic information on all the 550 species of palms native to the Americas that were known in 1995. Comprehensive information on the plants range and habitat, brief description, some uses and almost 250 photos.
]. The oil-rich seeds were previously an important export item from Ecuador to Colombia and the United States; but now the African oil palm is much more important and is grown on a large commercial scale[
769- Title
- A Taxonomic Treatment of the Palm Subtribe Attaleinae (Tribe Cocoeae)
- Publication
- Illinois Biological Monographs 59
- Author
- Glassman S.F.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- University of Illinois Press; Chicago.
- Year
- 1999
- ISBN
- 0-252-06786-X
- Description
- An in depth treatment of the Palm Subtribe Attaleinae. As well as a detailed study of the species, it also mentions various of their uses.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
768- Title
- Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas
- Publication
-
- Author
- Henderson A.; Galeano G.; Bernal R.
- Publisher
- Princeton University Press; Princeton, New Jersey.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 0-691-08537-4
- Description
- An excellent book, giving basic information on all the 550 species of palms native to the Americas that were known in 1995. Comprehensive information on the plants range and habitat, brief description, some uses and almost 250 photos.
,
769- Title
- A Taxonomic Treatment of the Palm Subtribe Attaleinae (Tribe Cocoeae)
- Publication
- Illinois Biological Monographs 59
- Author
- Glassman S.F.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- University of Illinois Press; Chicago.
- Year
- 1999
- ISBN
- 0-252-06786-X
- Description
- An in depth treatment of the Palm Subtribe Attaleinae. As well as a detailed study of the species, it also mentions various of their uses.
Range
S. America - Ecuador, Colombia.
Habitat
Lowland rain forest or deciduous forest, especially common in disturbed or cleared areas, at elevations up to 900 metres[
768- Title
- Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas
- Publication
-
- Author
- Henderson A.; Galeano G.; Bernal R.
- Publisher
- Princeton University Press; Princeton, New Jersey.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 0-691-08537-4
- Description
- An excellent book, giving basic information on all the 550 species of palms native to the Americas that were known in 1995. Comprehensive information on the plants range and habitat, brief description, some uses and almost 250 photos.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 25.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Each tree produces one to four infructescences per year. Based on the oil content, it is estimated that 100 trees per hectare could produce 10 to 27 tonnes of seeds, or between 5 and 13 tonnes of oil per hectare per year[
769- Title
- A Taxonomic Treatment of the Palm Subtribe Attaleinae (Tribe Cocoeae)
- Publication
- Illinois Biological Monographs 59
- Author
- Glassman S.F.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- University of Illinois Press; Chicago.
- Year
- 1999
- ISBN
- 0-252-06786-X
- Description
- An in depth treatment of the Palm Subtribe Attaleinae. As well as a detailed study of the species, it also mentions various of their uses.
].
Edible Uses
An oil extracted from the seed is used for cooking[
768- Title
- Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas
- Publication
-
- Author
- Henderson A.; Galeano G.; Bernal R.
- Publisher
- Princeton University Press; Princeton, New Jersey.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 0-691-08537-4
- Description
- An excellent book, giving basic information on all the 550 species of palms native to the Americas that were known in 1995. Comprehensive information on the plants range and habitat, brief description, some uses and almost 250 photos.
]. The infructescences of this species are unusually large and heavy, with some of them weighing more than 100 kilos; an assay of the individual seeds showed 51.74% oil and 4.28% water[
769- Title
- A Taxonomic Treatment of the Palm Subtribe Attaleinae (Tribe Cocoeae)
- Publication
- Illinois Biological Monographs 59
- Author
- Glassman S.F.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- University of Illinois Press; Chicago.
- Year
- 1999
- ISBN
- 0-252-06786-X
- Description
- An in depth treatment of the Palm Subtribe Attaleinae. As well as a detailed study of the species, it also mentions various of their uses.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
A long fibre with commercial value can be obtained from the leaf petiole margins[
769- Title
- A Taxonomic Treatment of the Palm Subtribe Attaleinae (Tribe Cocoeae)
- Publication
- Illinois Biological Monographs 59
- Author
- Glassman S.F.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- University of Illinois Press; Chicago.
- Year
- 1999
- ISBN
- 0-252-06786-X
- Description
- An in depth treatment of the Palm Subtribe Attaleinae. As well as a detailed study of the species, it also mentions various of their uses.
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
