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Useful Tropical Plants

Geonoma interrupta

(Ruiz & Pav.) Mart.

Arecaceae

+ Synonyms

Geonoma binervia Oerst.

Geonoma dominicana L.H.Bailey

Geonoma dryanderae Burret

Geonoma leptoclada Burret

Geonoma magnifica Linden & H.Wendl.

Geonoma martinicensis Mart.

Geonoma megaloptila Burret

Geonoma membranacea H.Wendl. ex Spruce

Geonoma mexicana Liebm. ex Mart.

Geonoma oxycarpa Mart.

Geonoma pinnatifrons Willd.

Geonoma platybothros Burret

Geonoma pleeana Mart.

Geonoma polyclada Burret

Geonoma preussii Burret

Geonoma purdieana Spruce

Geonoma ramosissima Burret

Geonoma rivalis Kalbreyer & Burret

Geonoma saga Spruce

Geonoma vaga Griseb. & H.Wendl.

Martinezia interrupta Ruiz & Pav.

Common Name:

Geonoma interrupta
Plant growing in native habitat
Photograph by: Center for Tropical Forest Science
© The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Geonoma interrupta Geonoma interrupta Geonoma interrupta

General Information

Geonoma interrupta is an evergreen palm that can grown 1 - 10 metres tall. The plant can produce a single or up to a cluster of 10 unbranched stems that can be 5 - 7cm in diameter and are conspicuously marked with rings. The stems are topped by 8 - 24 leaves - their petioles can be 30 - 60cm long with their leaf blades as much as 2 metres long[
314
Title
Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.pacsoa.org.au/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website.
,
331
Title
Flora of Guatemala
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
 
Year
1946 - 1976
ISBN
 
Description
A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
,
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.
,
773
Title
A Revision of Geonoma (Arecaceae)
Publication
Phytotaxa 17: 1 - 271
Author
Henderson A.
Website
http://www.mapress.com/phytotaxa/
Publisher
Magnolia Press
Year
2011
ISBN
1179-3155
Description
A treatment of the genus Geonoma, giving very detailed botanical descriptions and some information on habitat. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as food and source of materials for thatching etc[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. The flowers were at one time commonly sold as an item of food in local markets[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

331
Title
Flora of Guatemala
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
 
Year
1946 - 1976
ISBN
 
Description
A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
,
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.
,
773
Title
A Revision of Geonoma (Arecaceae)
Publication
Phytotaxa 17: 1 - 271
Author
Henderson A.
Website
http://www.mapress.com/phytotaxa/
Publisher
Magnolia Press
Year
2011
ISBN
1179-3155
Description
A treatment of the genus Geonoma, giving very detailed botanical descriptions and some information on habitat. It can be downloaded from the Internet.

Range

S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela; C. America Panama to Mexico; Caribbean.

Habitat

Moist or wet, dense, mixed lowland forest[
331
Title
Flora of Guatemala
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
 
Year
1946 - 1976
ISBN
 
Description
A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
]. Understorey of lowland to premontane rain forest, in both well-drained soils on slopes and also in wet and poorly drained soil, usually at elevations to 1,000 metres, occasionally to 1,400 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 *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height4.00 m
PollinatorsInsects
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the lowland tropics.
Needs a moist semi shaded or shaded position[
314
Title
Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.pacsoa.org.au/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website.
].

Edible Uses

Tender young flower clusters - cooked[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].

Leaves - cooked[
763
Title
Heart of Palm Use: A Family Survey
Publication
 
Author
Scott Zona, Ph.D.
Website
http://www.virtualherbarium.org/palmresearch/Hearts_of_Palm_table.html
Publisher
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Virtual Herbarium.
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line article listing the botanical names and range of palm trees that have an edible apical bud.
]. The apical bud, often known as a 'palm heart', is eaten as a vegetable[
763
Title
Heart of Palm Use: A Family Survey
Publication
 
Author
Scott Zona, Ph.D.
Website
http://www.virtualherbarium.org/palmresearch/Hearts_of_Palm_table.html
Publisher
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Virtual Herbarium.
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line article listing the botanical names and range of palm trees that have an edible apical bud.
]. Eating this bud leads to the death of the tree because it is unable to make side shoots[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

Large leaves are used for thatching[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].

The stems are used to make tool handles[
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.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-12. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Geonoma+interrupta>

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