Aiphanes_horrida
Aiphanes horrida
Species of palm
Aiphanes horrida is a palm native to northern South America and Trinidad and Tobago. Aiphanes horrida is a solitary, spiny tree. In the wild it grows 3–10 metres tall (9–30 feet) tall with a stem diameter of 6–10 centimetres (2–4 inches); cultivated trees may be as much as 15 m (49') tall with a 15 cm (6") diameter.[2] The epicarp and mesocarp of the fruit are rich in carotene and are eaten in Colombia, while the seeds are used to make candles.[3] In parts of the Colombian Llanos, endocarps are used to play games.[2]
The range of the species is found in dry forests between sea level and 1700 m (5600') above sea level in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela, but is not native to Ecuador.[3] The species is cultivated as an ornamental throughout the tropics.[2]
Many authors, including Henderson et al. (1995)[3] and Borchenius and Bernal (1996)[2] use A. aculeata rather than A. horrida, giving Jacquin's description of Caryota horrida a publication date of 1809, three years after Willdenow's 1806 description. On the other hand, Govaerts et al. (2006)[4] gives Jacquin's work a publication date of 1801, giving A. horrida priority over A. aculeata.
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