Bactris ferruginea

Description

Tucum is a spiny, evergreen palm growing 4 - 9 metres tall. The plant produces a cluster of densely spiny, unbranched stems 4 - 0cm in diameter; each stem is topped by a rosette of 5- large leaves. The edible fruit is greatly appreciated in its native range, being commonly gathered from the wild and widely available in shops and street markets46 . The plant also supplies a fibre for local use