Common Name: Licuri Palm

General Information

Licuri palm is a single-stemmed, evergreen palm tree growing 3 - 12 metres tall. The unbranched stem can be 20 - 25cm in diameter; it is slightly thicker in the middle; and is topped by a crown of 15 - 30, attractive, arching, semi-plumose leaves that can be 3 metres long[, , ].
A very useful plant, widely utilised by the native population. It provides a range of foods and and medicine, plus various materials, including oil, wax and fibre. It is commonly harvested from the wild and the plant is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental[, , ].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - eastern Brazil.

Habitat

Open woodland or woodland edges[]. Scrubland[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	10.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant for the humid tropics and subtropics, growing naturally in areas of seasonal rainfall[].
Easily grown in a sunny position[]. Succeeds even in calcareous soils[]. Found mainly in very fertile soils, even if they are dry and gravelly[].
A very slow-growing tree[].
Plants can flower through most of the year[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[, ]. The pulp of the fruit is eaten by local peoples[]. Fibrous, with a slightly sweet flavour[]. The fruit is about 26mm long x 20mm wide[].

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[].

The seed is sometimes eaten[, , ].

A non-drying oil is obtained from the seed[, ]. It is used to make margarine[, ].

The pith of the stem is used to make bread[].

Medicinal

The oil from the seeds is useful for treating wounds caused by stingrays[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is seen as an indicator of fertile soils in the wild[].

Other Uses

A wax, known as 'licuri wax' is obtained by scraping the leaves[]. It is used for making torches[].

An oil obtained from the seed is used for making soap[].

The dried leaves are used for making dusters, hats, brooms etc[].

The seeds are used in making rosaries[].

The wood is moderately heavy, hard, of low durability when exposed to the elements[]. It is only used locally for building construction[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a deeply shaded position in a nursery seedbed. Germination can be very slow and can take 12 months[]. When the seedlings are 8 - 12cm tall, pot them up into individual containers. They grow away slowly and can take a year or more before they are ready to plant out[].

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