Chelyocarpus chuco
Chelyocarpus chuco is a fan palm native to the southwestern Amazon basin. Kew records its range from the Brazilian states of Acre and Rondônia to northern Bolivia, primarily in wet tropical forest. It belongs to the palm family, Arecaceae.[1]
Appearance
The Pando palm guide describes plants with either one stem or a cluster of stems, reaching about twelve metres tall. The slender stems measure approximately ten to fifteen centimetres across. The crown carries broad, fan-shaped leaves whose segments remain joined for much of their length.[2]
Flower clusters appear among the leaves. The rounded fruits are yellow or green, up to about two centimetres across, and contain a single seed.[2]
Habitat and local uses
In its regional account, the Pando guide places the palm mainly in flooded ground beside rivers and on adjoining land below about 200 metres elevation. It records the Bolivian name hoja redonda and the Brazilian names caranaí and carnaubinha.[2]
The leaves are used for roof thatching and hats. They are also used to close the openings beneath the ends of roofs on rural houses.[2]
Botanical names
Martius originally named the palm Thrinax chuco in 1844. It was later placed in several other genera, including Acanthorhiza in 1882. Harold E. Moore published the combination Chelyocarpus chuco in 1972, and Kew currently accepts that name.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Chelyocarpus chuco. Plants of the World Online. Accessed 9 October 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Gutiérrez-Vásquez, C. A. and Peralta, R. (2001). Palmas comunes de Pando. PANFOR/BOLFOR, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, p. 24. Accessed 9 October 2026.