Common Name: Acuri

General Information

Acuri is a stout, single-stemmed, evergreen palm whose unbranched stem rarely gets taller than 4 metres, though occasional specimens up to 7 metres are found. The stem can be 30 - 40cm in diameter, carrying a plumose head of up to 30 large leaves that are 2 - 3 metres long and are held erect in a shuttlecock-like crown. The stem is often covered with old leaf bases[, ].
The tree is often utilized from the wild for its edible seeds, which are a popular local treat, and its edible fruit. It is also one of the most important sources of thatch in its native range[, ]. A very ornamental plant, it is used in landscaping in Brazil[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia.

Habitat

Rainforest and savannah[]. Dry land forest and open areas[]. Found almost exclusively in very fertile, clayey soils[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	6.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the tropics, it can also be grown in the sub-tropics[].
Prefers a sunny position[]. Found in the wild almost exclusively in very fertile, clayey soils[].
Young plants are slow-growing[].
The plant begins to flower and produce fruit whilst very small, and before the stem has started to develop[].

Edible Uses

The fruits are consumed by chewing or sucking the fibrous part surrounding the seeds when ripe[, ]. The bright yellow, oily fruits are up to 11cm long and carried in large bunches[].

Seeds - rich in oil[, ].

The palm heart (the inner core and growing bud of the plant) is harvested[]. It provides a crispy food, rich in nutrients, that can be eaten raw or cooked. Harvesting the heart will lead to the death of the plant since it is unable to produce new shoots[].

Medicinal

The liquid endosperm from the immature seed is used in the treatment of ophthalmia[].

The oil from the seed is rubbed into the scalp as a treatment for baldness[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is found in the wild almost exclusively in very fertile, clayey soils, to the extent that it is considered an excellent indicator of the soil condition and plants are left to grow in a pasture in order to raise the value of land when selling it[].
Because of the great quantity of water that the leaf sheaths hold, the plant usually becomes host to many epiphytes and wild fig plants[].

Other Uses

The leaves are a major source of thatch in the region[, ]. It is used especially on the ridges of roofs[].

The wood is moderately heavy, hard, compact, of low durability when exposed to the elements. It is only used locally in rural constructions[].
A charcoal is made from the endocarps[]. It is the preferred source of charcoal for the smoking of latex when forming rubber[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed. Germination is very slow, with the seed taking almost a year to sprout[]. When the seedlings are 10 - 15cm tall, pot them up into individual containers. They grow away slowly and may take another year before they are ready to plant out.
Seeds can remain viable for up to 60 days in storage so long as they are not allowed to become dry[].

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