This is a poorly known species that may be of hybrid origin between Attalea microcarpa and Attalea speciosa[].

Common Name:

General Information

Attalea spectabilis is an evergreen palm with a short, usually subterranean stem that can occasionally become 100cm tall. The plant spreads by suckers, producing rosettes of up to 8 leaves[]
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials. It is an excellent pioneer species that can be used for restoring native woodland and also for establishing forest gardens. The plant is often tolerated, or even encouraged in home gardens and agroforestry plants within its native range[]

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - northern Brazil (Pará, Amapá)

Habitat

Semi-open areas or forest margins in wet places on sandy soils; at low elevations[]. Often found as an understorey in secondary forest and invading open speces such as pastures[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	0.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Semi-cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

To ranchers, Attalea spectabilis is a weed because it quickly invades pastures, shading out planted grasses. Even the most potent herbicides have failed to curtail the aggressive palm on plantations for pulpwood[]. Once established, the plant is tenacious and soon re-sprouts after being cut to ground level. Fire has little impact on the roots, and only by allowing the forest to return can it be suppressed[]..
after cutting. Curua´ is thus found, such as in the
outskirts of Arapixuna, where farmers initially clear curua´ only to find it
reappearing among their crops several months later.

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[]. The layer of creamy pulp that surrounds the hard endocarp is eaten raw, especially by farmers and children who will often snack on them while on their way to or from fields[]. The pulp is also used to prepare a creamy, somewhat bland drink, and to make a tamale-like meal, where the pulp is mixed with manioc flour, and wrapped in the leaves fronds prior to baking[].
The brownish, ovoid to ellipsoid fruits are 50 - 60mm long and 30 - 40mm wide. A layer of creamy flesh encloses one or two large seeds[[]. The fruits are borne in bunches low to the ground and so are very easy to harvest[]

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

In areas where slash-and-burn farmers have been operating for a long time Attalea spectabilis often forms dense stands, which is a nuisance or a blessing, depending on one’s perspective. It is considered to be a weed by ranchers because it quickly invades pastures, shading out planted grasses, but when used as a pioneer for reforestation purposes it is certainly a blessing, providing excellent conditions for the forest trees to become established whilst also providing food and materials[]

Other Uses

The leaves are used for thatching[]. The sizeable leaves make an ideal roof thatch for houses, as well as being used for making interior and exterior walls of houses. The can also be woven to make items such as mats and baskets[].

Fibre from the leaves is used to make ropes[].

Smoke from the burning fruits has been used to coagulate latex[].

Propagation

Seed -

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