NOTES ON THE BIOLOGY AND USES OF THE MOTACU PALM (ATTALEA-PHALERATA, ARECACEAE) FROM BOLIVIA

Authors
MORAES M BORCHSENIUS F BLICHERMATHIESEN U
Citation
M. Moraes et al., NOTES ON THE BIOLOGY AND USES OF THE MOTACU PALM (ATTALEA-PHALERATA, ARECACEAE) FROM BOLIVIA, Economic botany, 50(4), 1996, pp. 423-428
Citations number
19
Categorie Soggetti
Plant Sciences
Journal title
Economic botany → ACNP
ISSN journal
00130001
Volume
50
Issue
4
Year of publication
1996
Pages
423 - 428
Database
ISI
SICI code
0013-0001(1996)50:4<423:NOTBAU>2.0.ZU;2-6
Abstract
The motacu palm (Attalea phalerata) is widespread in Bolivia and is an economically valuable species as a source of vegetable oil. In Bolivi a it is utilized as construction material, food medicine, cosmetic, an d edible oil. Oil extracted from the kernel (60-70% of dry weight) is high in lauric and myristic oils and compares favorably with other tro pical oil crops. The palms reach reproductive maturity in 7-10 years a nd potential oil production from cultivated stands is 1.1-2.4 tons/ha/ yr.