Butia eriospatha

Description

Trunk type: Solitary, the trunk can grow to 20 feet, but normally reaches 12-15 ft (3.7-4.6 m) with a diameter of 1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.5 m). Leaf detail: Recurving, green leaves, typical of Butia's. The leaf stems range from about 2-4 ft (0.6-1.2 m), and the petiole is armed, leaf base remains on base, for a very long time, which is typical of Butia's. Flower: Both flower, and fruit, range in colors from yellow to red, spathe has brown tomentum, fruit is round, and edible. Temps. in habitat, often get below freezing. Palm 3-6 m tall, 45-50 cm in diam.; sheathing leaf base partially covered with a dense brownish tomentum, petiole 90-100 cm long, margins of petiole armed with short teeth or spines 1-3 cm long; rachis of leaf 2.0-2.5 m long; pinnae 50-55 on each side, regularly arranged, middle ones 70-80 cm long, 2.0-2.3 cm wide, with acute asymmet_ rical tips; expanded part of spathe 120-135 cm long, 14-16 cm wide, smooth or striate, covered with a dense brownish tomentum; branched part of spadix 90-100 cm long, rachillae numerous, each 35--42 cm long; pistillate flowers rounded, 3-5 mm long, 3.5-5 mm in diam.; staminate flowers 6-8 mm long below, those above 4-5 mm long; fruit mostly globose, 1.8-2.0 cm long, 1.42.2 cm in diam., with short beak, persistent perianth 0.2-0.4 cm high, locules 1-3, seed globose, 1.4-1.6 cm in diam.