Common Name: Inaja

General Information

Attalea maripa is a single-stemmed, evergreen palm growing 7 - 24 metres tall[]. The unbranched stem, which is ringed when young, is 20 - 40cm in diameter; it is topped by a crown of 10 - 22 large leaves that can be up to 11 metres long[, , ].
The tree has a range of uses and is often cultivated in parts of S. America[]. In particular, the edible fruits are popular throughout the Amazon region, often being found for sale in local markets[]. The seed is also eaten, whilst the plant provides oil, thatch, material for weaving etc[]. An ornamental plant, it is used in landscaping[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; Caribbean - Trinidad.

Habitat

Dry land forest and open areas[]. Coastal swamps and lowlands[]. Lowland wet forest and secondary forest derived from it, at elevations up to 500 metres[]. Usually found in land not subject to seasonal inundation[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	15.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the lowland, moist tropics. Plants are frost sensitive[].
Requires a sunny position in a well-drained soil[]. Plants are usually found in more open areas in the wild but also succeed in the dappled shade of the forest[]. Found in a range of soils from sandy to clayey[].
Plants have a moderate rate of growth[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[]. A succulent, aromatic, almost fibreless pulp with a sweet, pleasant flavour[]. It is used to make a drink[]. The fruit is up to 5cm long[].

The mesocarp provides a 'milk' for drinking[].

Seed - the endosperm is toasted[].

An oil extracted from the seed is used for cooking[].

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

An oil obtained from the seeds is rubbed onto rheumatic areas of the body in order to bring relief[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant shows pioneer characteristics[]. It regenerates vigorously after being cut down and the dormant seeds germinate after forest fires or the clearing of forested areas[]. These traits make it an excellent choice as a pioneer species for restoring native woodland and especially, when taking into account all the plant's uses, for establishing a woodland garden[].

Other Uses

The fruit is a rich source of oil[]. It is currently being investigated for its suitability for biodiesel production[].

The oil obtained from the seeds is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a skin conditioner[].

The leaves are used for thatching[, ].

The young leaves are made into mats and pack baskets[]. They are used as a heavy-duty weaving material[].

The woody bract is used as a container[].

The seeds are used to make jewellery[].

The wood is moderately heavy, hard, resistant, of low durability[]. The whole trunks are used locally for rustic constructions such as stays, rafters and laths[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a nursery bed or individual containers[].

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Captcha: if i have 3 bananas, and i eat them all, how many bananas did i just eat?