Astrocaryum chambira Burret

A palm. It has a single stem which is stout and erect. It can be 3.5-30 m tall and 19-35 cm across. The trunk is covered with black spines which are up to 20 cm long. There are 9-16 leaves that are 5 m long. The leaf stalk in young palms is covered with yellow winged spines. There are 120-175 leaflets on each side. They are arranged irregularly in clusters and spread in different planes. The flowering stalk is erect and amongst the leaves. The fruiting stalk is covered with black spines. The flowering branches have 2-5 female flowers at the base. The fruit are oval and 5-7 cm long by 4-5 cm wide. They are yellow or greenish yellow when ripe.

Found in low densities in lowland rain forests, on land not subject to inundation, much more commonly in disturbed and deforested areas. The plant is also found on periodically flooded alluvial soils.

The fruit pulp is eaten. It is also used for wine. The shoots are burnt for vegetable salt.

Can be grown by seedlings.