Common Name:

General Information

Astrocaryum sociale is a stemless, evergreen palm forming a rosette of around 6 - 7 large, erect to arching leaves that can be up to 4.5 metres long including the petiole[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of materials, and also probably for food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

S. America - northern Brazil

Habitat

Often growing in very dense populations, it is an understorey plant in virgin rainforest, growing in areas not usually subject to inundation[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	4.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

The liquid endosperm of the unripe fruits is probably drunk[]. The brown,subglobose fruit is 40 - 60mm long and 30 - 35mm wide with a dry flesh surrounding a single, large seed[].

We have no specific information for this species, but the fruits and seeds of various species are reported to be used for oil production in the Amazon region. Existing analyses of fruit fat content show a relatively homogeneous composition among species, with around 20% of fat content in the mesocarp, mostly composed of oleic and palmitic acids, and 20-35% of fat content in the endosperm, with a predominance of lauric acid[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

A fibre obtained from the young leaves is used to make hats. On drying, the fibres turn almost red[].

The leaves are sometimes used for thatching[].

The hard endocarp of various Amazonian species is commonly used to make beads and ornaments for necklaces[]

Propagation

Seed -

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