Common Name: Pataua Palm

General Information

Oenocarpus bataua is an attractive, fast-growing, evergreen, single-stemmed feather palm growing from 5 - 35 metres tall. The unbranched stem can be 15 - 45cm in diameter; it is topped by a crown of very large leaves, each up to 8 metres long and arranged in an upright 'shuttlecock' type of pattern[, , ].
A multipurpose tree, it is extensively harvested for food, oil and many other purposes. Mainly wild stands are utilized, but the plant has also been experimentally cultivated in Venezuela and Colombia and has often been highly recommended for cultivation as an oil and fruit crop[, ].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

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

Habitat

Rainforest[]. Tropical rainforests of South America, in a wide range of growing conditions from swampy lowlands to mountainous regions[]. Found in both inundated and non-inundated areas[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	20.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of low to moderate elevations in the humid tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,350 metres[, ]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 21 - 28°c, but can tolerate 17 - 32°c[]. When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about 5°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 2,000 - 4,000mm, but tolerates 1,500 - 6,300mm[].
Requires a sunny position and a moist soil[]. Very young plants require a shady position, becoming more light-demanding as they grow older[]. Prefers a pH in the range 4.8 - 5.5, tolerating 4.3 - 6.5[].

Edible Uses

A light greenish-yellow oil is obtained from the fruit[]. Used as a salad or cooking oil317]. Very stable, it does not easily turn rancid[]. It is almost identical with olive oil[, ]. Used in cooking and as a colouring for chocolates[]. Traditionally, the oil is extracted by pounding the fruit, boiling it in water and skimming off the oil as it floats on the surface[].

Fruit - a sweet flavour46]. The thin, oily mesocarp has a chocolate-like flavour, and is very popular[]. It is usually soaked before eating to soften the pulp[]. The fleshy fruit can be eaten fried[]. The fruit is about 3cm long and 2cm wide[].
A nutritious protein- and oil-rich beverage (agua de seche) is made from the fruit pulp[, ]. It is sometimes made into an alcoholic drink by fermentation[]. A nutritious milk-like beverage is made by mixing the juice of the pulp with manioc meal[].

Seed - cooked[]. Eaten mainly by poor people[].

Leaves - cooked[, ]. The apical bud, often known as a 'palm heart', is eaten as a vegetable[]. Eating this bud leads to the death of the tree because it is unable to make side shoots[].

Medicinal

The fruits are soaked in warm water to soften, the seed coat is removed, and the remainder is macerated in cold water, strained, and drunk or used as a tonic[].

The oil obtained from the fruit is used medicinally[]. It is used as a carrier oil - the wood chips of Schefflera morototoni are steeped in the oil and then the oil is massaged into the back to relieve pain in the vertebral column[].

The oil from the seed is purgative and is also used to treat tuberculosis[].

The hard endosperm is crushed and eaten to cure snake bites[].

Other Uses

The kernels yield an edible oil, somewhat similar to olive oil, that can also be made into soap and is used in the cosmetic industry[].

The fronds of the palm are used for thatching[].
The leaves are used for making walls and baskets[, ].

The hair-like fibres of the leaves are used to produce ropes for the navy[].
The spine-like fibres of the leaf sheath are made into darts for the blowpipe[, ].

A dark blue dye is obtained from the fruit[].

The wood is utilized for the manufacture of bows and arrow points[]. The trunks are exploited for construction[, ]. The wood of the stem is split and used for floors, and for other construction needs[].

Propagation

Seed - requires a shady position[].

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