Chamaedorea elegans Mart.

A slender dwarf palm. The trunk is solitary and woody. It may grow to 3 m tall. The stems are 8-16 mm across. It has many close spaced growth rings. The leaves have leaflets along the stalk. They are dark green. The leaf sheaths often have a white edge. Male and female flowers are on separate plants. The fruit are 5 mm long. They are black when ripe.

A tropical plant. It grows in moist dense rainforest. It is often on limestone. It will grow from temperate to tropical conditions. Severe frosts will damage the leaves. It grows from sea level to 1500 m altitude in Central America. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.

The young unopened flower is cooked and eaten. The fruit are eaten.

Plants are grown from seed. Although it is best to use fresh seed, seed can be stored for 6 months. Seeds germinate in 3-6 months.