Phytelephas aequatorialis Spruce

A solitary palm. It grows to 16 m high. The trunk is 30 cm across. The leaf crown is large and round. The dead leaves hang beneath the living leaves. The leaves are 5-6 m long. They are on short stout leaf stalks. There are a large number of leaflets. They grow in small groups and often at slightly different angles. The leaflets at the centre are 60-100 cm long. The leaflets are the base and tip are shorter. They are deep green on both surfaces and hang down slightly.

An understorey palm of the rain forest, growing on wet lowlands, often near rivers, on the coastal plain; ascending to 1,500 metres. It is often left in pastures when the forest is cleared.

The liquid inside the young fruit is drunk. The young seeds are edible.

Can be grown by seedlings.