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Acrocomia aculeata

Name and publication

Acrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd. ex Mart., Historia Naturalis Palmarum 2: 66 (1824). (test)

Description

The fruit of the grugru palm (also known as macauba palm, coyol palm, or macaw palm) is a yellowish-green to brown drupe 2.5-5 cm in diameter. The single brown seed within is nearly the same size is very hard and difficult to break.

Nativity and distribution

Acrocomia aculeata is native to tropical regions of the Americas, from Mexico and the Caribbean south to Argentina.

Family

Arecaceae (alt. Palmae)

Synonymy

Many - most described species of Acrocomia are now considered synonyms of A. aculeata.

two fruits, natural color; photo © The Lebermuth Company, Inc.

two fruits, natural color; photo © The Lebermuth Company, Inc.
fruit, stem end; photo by Lyndon Photography

fruit, stem end; photo by Lyndon Photography
fruit, blossom end; photo by Lyndon Photography

fruit, blossom end; photo by Lyndon Photography
fruit, dyed green, stem end; photo by Lyndon Photography

fruit, dyed green, stem end; photo by Lyndon Photography
fruits, dyed red and yellow; photo by Indira Singh

fruits, dyed red and yellow; photo by Indira Singh
fruit, bleached, stem end; photo by Christina Southwick

fruit, bleached, stem end; photo by Christina Southwick
fruit, bleached, blossom end; photo by Christina Southwick

fruit, bleached, blossom end; photo by Christina Southwick