| Field notes | Caespitose palm with 9 stems. Collected stem 6.4 m long, glabrous; internodes 13.5 cm long; nodes 3 cm long. Leaves 6; sheath 65 cm long, closed for 25 cm, forming a dark green crownshaft; petiole 30 cm long; rachis 2.4 m long; pinnae 66 per side, inserted in groups, in different angels. Inflorescence infrafoliar, horse-tail shaped; peduncle 4.5 cm long; rachis 3 cm long; rachillae 78, basal rachilla 26 cm long, apical rachilla 23 cm long. According to Sr. Ernesto Tseremp (shuar) the palmheart is edible. The stem is used for house-pots (Pau in shuar). The leaves are used for thatch. Baskets are occasionally made from straps stripped of the petiole and rachis of the spear leaf. Long straps stripped of the petiole and rachis of the leaves are used for cleaning blowguns. Fish traps may be made from the straps when no better material is found. |
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