Moriche palm

Mauritia flexuosa, known as the moriche palm, ité palm, ita, buriti, muriti, miriti (Brazil), canangucho (Colombia), morete or acho (Ecuador), palma real (Bolivia), or aguaje (Peru), is a palm tree. It grows in and near swamps and other wet areas in tropical South America.

Mauritia flexuosa can reach up to 35 m (115 ft) in height. Henderson and McBride both give a height of 50 m (160 ft). The trunk can be up to 70 cm (28 in) diameter at breast height The large leaves form a rounded crown. The tree produces Pneumatophores which can develop as much as 30 metres (98 ft) from the trunk. suggesting a very extensive root system. The flowers are yellowish and appear from December to April. The fruit, which grows from December to June, is a chestnut color and is covered with shiny scales. The yellow flesh covers a hard, oval nut. The seeds float, and this is the means by which the palm tree propagates. In natural populations, the tree reaches very high densities.

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