Phytelephas macrocarpa
Ruiz & Pav.
Arecaceae
Elephantusia macrocarpa (Ruiz & Pav.) Willd.
Elephantusia microcarpa (Ruiz & Pav.) Willd.
Phytelephas karstenii O.F.Cook
Phytelephas microcarpa Ruiz & Pav.
Yarina microcarpa (Ruiz & Pav.) O.F.Cook
Common Name: Vegetable Ivory
Cultivated plant at Kebun Raya Bogor, Java, Indonesia
Photograph by: William J. Baker
Image credit to Palmweb
Cultivated plant at Kebun Raya Bogor, Java, Indonesia
Photograph by: William J. Baker
Image credit to Palmweb
Inflorescence
Photograph by: William J. Baker
Image credit to Palmweb
Close-up of the inflorescence
Photograph by: William J. Baker
Image credit to Palmweb
Fruits
Photograph by: William J. Baker
Image credit to Palmweb
Cut open fruits, revealing the seed
Photograph by: John Dransfield
Image credit to Palmweb
Fruit
Photograph by: John Dransfield
Image credit to Palmweb
Large clusters of fruits around the plant
Photograph by: scott.zona
Fruit cut open to reveal the seeds
Photograph by: scott.zona
General Information
Vegetable ivory is usually a single-stemmed, evergreen palm growing up to 3 metres tall. The unbranched stem can be subterranean or short and sometimes creeping up to 2 metres long; it can be 30cm in diameter and topped by 12 - 20 leaves[
412- Title
- Illustrated Guide to the Trees of Peru
- Publication
-
- Author
- Pennington, T.D.; Reynel, C. & Daza, A.
- Publisher
- David Hunt; Sherbourne, England.
- Year
- 2004
- ISBN
- 0 9538134 3 6
- Description
- A very terse guide to the trees of Peru, managing to give basic guides to a large number of genera, with more detail on a few species in each genus.
,
423- Title
- Desert Tropicals
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.desert-tropicals.com/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- The main focus of the site is succulent plants, but it also contains information on a wide range of other species. Usually at least one good photograph, plus basic information about the plant and its cultivation.
,
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.
].
The plant is used in various ways locally as a food. The hard seed is a form of vegetable ivory, which is used in craftwork. The seeds of this and various other species of vegetable ivory palms are commonly gathered from the wild and exported in large quantities from Panama and South America, to be used as a substitute for ivory - a great variety of articles being fashioned from them[
469- Title
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol. 27
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institute; Washington.
- Year
- 1928
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains a Flora of the Panama Canal zone
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
412- Title
- Illustrated Guide to the Trees of Peru
- Publication
-
- Author
- Pennington, T.D.; Reynel, C. & Daza, A.
- Publisher
- David Hunt; Sherbourne, England.
- Year
- 2004
- ISBN
- 0 9538134 3 6
- Description
- A very terse guide to the trees of Peru, managing to give basic guides to a large number of genera, with more detail on a few species in each genus.
,
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.
Range
S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru.
Habitat
Rainforest[
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.
]. Lowland rainforests on alluvial soil[
412- Title
- Illustrated Guide to the Trees of Peru
- Publication
-
- Author
- Pennington, T.D.; Reynel, C. & Daza, A.
- Publisher
- David Hunt; Sherbourne, England.
- Year
- 2004
- ISBN
- 0 9538134 3 6
- Description
- A very terse guide to the trees of Peru, managing to give basic guides to a large number of genera, with more detail on a few species in each genus.
,
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 |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 3.00 m |
| Self-fertile | No |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant from the warm tropics, though it can tolerate occasional short-lived temperatures down to around freezing[
423- Title
- Desert Tropicals
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.desert-tropicals.com/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- The main focus of the site is succulent plants, but it also contains information on a wide range of other species. Usually at least one good photograph, plus basic information about the plant and its cultivation.
].
Prefers a moist soil and a warm, sheltered 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.
].
A slow-growing plant, it can take from 7 - 25 years from a young seedling before it starts to produce fruit[
423- Title
- Desert Tropicals
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.desert-tropicals.com/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- The main focus of the site is succulent plants, but it also contains information on a wide range of other species. Usually at least one good photograph, plus basic information about the plant and its cultivation.
].
The flowers are heavily scented[
423- Title
- Desert Tropicals
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.desert-tropicals.com/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- The main focus of the site is succulent plants, but it also contains information on a wide range of other species. Usually at least one good photograph, plus basic information about the plant and its cultivation.
].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[
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.
].
Edible Uses
The apical bud is cooked and eaten as a vegetable[
412- Title
- Illustrated Guide to the Trees of Peru
- Publication
-
- Author
- Pennington, T.D.; Reynel, C. & Daza, A.
- Publisher
- David Hunt; Sherbourne, England.
- Year
- 2004
- ISBN
- 0 9538134 3 6
- Description
- A very terse guide to the trees of Peru, managing to give basic guides to a large number of genera, with more detail on a few species in each genus.
]. Eating this bud will lead to the death of the tree since it is unable to form side branches[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
The seed tissue of the immature fruit is liquid - it is used as a refreshing drink[
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.
,
412- Title
- Illustrated Guide to the Trees of Peru
- Publication
-
- Author
- Pennington, T.D.; Reynel, C. & Daza, A.
- Publisher
- David Hunt; Sherbourne, England.
- Year
- 2004
- ISBN
- 0 9538134 3 6
- Description
- A very terse guide to the trees of Peru, managing to give basic guides to a large number of genera, with more detail on a few species in each genus.
]. A sweet flavour[
423- Title
- Desert Tropicals
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.desert-tropicals.com/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- The main focus of the site is succulent plants, but it also contains information on a wide range of other species. Usually at least one good photograph, plus basic information about the plant and its cultivation.
].
Young fruits[
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.
].
The fruit has been used as a coffee substitute[
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.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
The seed is about the size of a hen's egg[
63- Title
- Nuts.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Howes. F. N.
- Publisher
- Faber
- Year
- 1948
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Rather old but still a masterpiece. Has sections on tropical and temperate plants with edible nuts plus a section on nut plants in Britain. Very readable.
]. As it matures it becomes immensely hard and closely resembles ivory[
63- Title
- Nuts.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Howes. F. N.
- Publisher
- Faber
- Year
- 1948
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Rather old but still a masterpiece. Has sections on tropical and temperate plants with edible nuts plus a section on nut plants in Britain. Very readable.
]. It is used for making buttons, chess pieces and ornamental articles of various kinds[
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.
,
63- Title
- Nuts.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Howes. F. N.
- Publisher
- Faber
- Year
- 1948
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Rather old but still a masterpiece. Has sections on tropical and temperate plants with edible nuts plus a section on nut plants in Britain. Very readable.
].
The leaves are sometimes employed in the manufacture of articles of domestic economy[
454- Title
- Useful Fiber Plants of the World
- Publication
-
- Author
- Dodge C.R.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
- Publisher
- USDA; Washington.
- Year
- 1897
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A rather dated, but very comprehensive catalogue of fibre plants from around the world. The book can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. (Probably woven into mats etc[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].) The leaves are used for making baskets[
697- Title
- Botanical Museum Leaflets Vol 29
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Harvard University; Cambridge, Massachusetts.
- Year
- 1983
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Some interesting notes on plant uses in tropical America. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The leaves are used as a thatch material for native huts[
454- Title
- Useful Fiber Plants of the World
- Publication
-
- Author
- Dodge C.R.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
- Publisher
- USDA; Washington.
- Year
- 1897
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A rather dated, but very comprehensive catalogue of fibre plants from around the world. The book can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
A fibre obtained from the plant is used for brooms, torches, fire starters or blowgun bore-cleaners[
697- Title
- Botanical Museum Leaflets Vol 29
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Harvard University; Cambridge, Massachusetts.
- Year
- 1983
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Some interesting notes on plant uses in tropical America. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Propagation
Seed - it can take 3 - 4 years to germinate[
423- Title
- Desert Tropicals
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.desert-tropicals.com/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- The main focus of the site is succulent plants, but it also contains information on a wide range of other species. Usually at least one good photograph, plus basic information about the plant and its cultivation.
].
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
