Acrocomia intumescens "macaúba-barriguda"

 

Acrocomia intumescens, the macaúba-barriguda tree, is a palm tree in the genus Acrocomia. It is native to the Brazilian states of Alagoas, Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba and Ceará. It occurs in the Atlantic Forest, both in the Zona da Mata and in the Caatinga moist-forest enclaves.

This palm is one of two species that are locally known by the name of macaúba, macaíba, boicaiuva or coco-de-catarro, the other being Acrocomia aculeata.The local names are derived from the Tupi word ma'kaí'ba, meaning "yellow-coconut".

Characteristics

The plant has a one flowersolitary stem that grows up to ten meters high and is swollen in the middle, as described by the Latin specific epithet intumescens. The palm leaves are compound, plicated and drops leaves annuallydeciduous, and the flowers of a plantinflorescence is multi branched flowerspanicle-like.

Uses

The plant is widely used in urban afforestation of squares and roads in Northeast Brazil, and its wood is widely used in civil constructions. The fruits have an edible href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruit_anatomy">the middle layer of pericarp, the fleshy part of some fruitmesocarp. class="reference" id="cite_ref-3">