This plant prefers a tropical rainforest climate and is commonly found in areas subject to flooding. It can thrive at various altitudes.
Buriti
Mauritia flexuosa, also known as moriche, buriti, muriti, or aguaje, is a solitary fan palm native to South America. It is typically found in tropical rainforests and areas prone to flooding. This versatile plant offers various uses, including staple food sources such as edible oil, fruit, and heart-of-palm, as well as the production of wine, high vitamin content, and the potential for industrial starch production. Its trunk provides useful materials like light and durable wood, while its leaves and petioles have applications in fiber production and cork.
Mauritia flexuosa
Brazil
- The Mauritia flexuosa, also known as moriche, buriti, muriti, or aguaje, is a solitary fan palm that can reach a height of 25 meters. It is native to South America and is commonly found in tropical rainforests and areas prone to flooding. - This plant has multiple uses, including being a staple food source. The fruit, heart-of-palm, and edible oil extracted from the kernel are consumed. The fruit is high in vitamins A and C. The fruit clusters can weigh up to 45 kilograms. - Mauritia flexuosa is also used to produce wine from its fruit and sap. The fruit has a pleasant, sweet, and tangy taste, making it suitable for canning or candying. - Other parts of the plant are utilized as well. The shoots provide hearts-of-palm, the leaf fibers are used for making rope, sacking, nets, and hammocks, and the petioles are used for cork production. - The trunk of Mauritia flexuosa yields a light and tough wood similar to balsa wood, making it suitable for constructing rafts and floats. Additionally, the trunk contains sugar and starch, with a potential as a source of industrial starch. - This plant is an indicator of tropical rainforest swamps and is primarily found in semi-wild or wild conditions. Please note that this information is in addition to the description provided and does not include a preface descriptive paragraph.
Tropical rainforest, sites subject to flooding.
S. America; tropical rainforest, sites subject to flooding. Staple food - edible oil, fruit, heart - of - palm; wine from fruit and sap; fruit high in vit. A and C; edible oil from kernel of fruit, similar in quality to more commonly used oils such as African oil palm kernels; fruit clusters reach 45 kg weight; sugar; starch from trunk (60 kg/tree); possible source of industrial starch; fruit has a pleasant, sweet, tangy taste; could be canned or candied; hearts - of - palm from shoots; leaf fibre for rope, sacking, nets and hammocks; petiole for cork; trunk for light, tough wood similar to balsa wood, for making rafts and floats. Local products only; indicator plant tropical rainforest swamp; solitary fan palm, to 25 m; spines on leaves. Semi - wild / wild.