Phytelephas seemannii
O.F.Cook
Arecaceae
Phytelephas brachelus O.F.Cook
Phytelephas brachinus O.F.Cook
Phytelephas brevipes O.F.Cook
Phytelephas cornutus O.F.Cook
Phytelephas longiflora O.F.Cook
Phytelephas pittieri O.F.Cook
Common Name:
General Information
Phytelephas seemannii is a single-stemmed, evergreen palm tree growing up to 10 metres tall. The unbranched stem is at first decumbent or creeping along the ground, but at length, under favourable conditions and age, it becomes erect and perhaps up to 4 metres tall and 40cm or more thick. At any one time it bears about 20 living, erect leaves which are often 6 metres long, with about 100 narrow segments[
368- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Volume 30
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1943
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains parts of the Flora of Panama.This, and other volumes of the series, are available for download from the Internet.
,
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
,
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 harvested for local use as a food and source of thatch. 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
].
The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
368- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Volume 30
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1943
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains parts of the Flora of Panama.This, and other volumes of the series, are available for download from the Internet.
,
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
Northern S. America - Colombia; and Central America - Panama.
Habitat
Wet forests[
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
]. An understorey plant in lowland rain forest; forming large, dense, homogeneous stands on alluvial soils; at elevations up to 200 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
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 5.00 m |
| Self-fertile | No |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
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 seed is used in various ways. When immature and liquid, it is drunk as a sweet and refreshing drink[
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.
]. As it ripes it starts to turn hard and jelly-like, at which stage it is eaten as a food[
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 orange flesh of the fruit is eaten as a delicacy[
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.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
The seeds are filled at first with a watery liquid, but this later becomes milky and finally almost as hard as ivory[
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
]. The very hard seeds are a source of vegetable ivory, used for making buttons and a wide range of craft items[
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.
,
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 leaves are used sometimes for thatching[
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
,
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 -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
