Tucuma. Awarra palm, Tucum palm.

Astrocaryum vulgare

Physical Characteristics

Astrocaryum vulgare is an evergreen Tree growing to 15 m (49ft) by 8 m (26ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant is not wind tolerant.

Distribution

S. America - northern Brazil and the Guyanas.

Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Apical bud Fruit Oil Sap Seed Edible Uses: Oil Fruit - raw[297 , 416 ]. Slightly sweet[416 ]. A flavour similar to apricots[301 ]. Used for making juices[418 ]. The mesocarp is rich in provitamin A; it provides a fatty, mashed pulp that is used to prepare the very popular French Guianan dish 'bouillon d'awara', which is traditionally eaten at Easter time[1869 ]. The orange-red, globose to ovoid fruit is 35 - 45mm long and 25 - 35mm wide with a fleshy mesocarp covering a single large seed[1874 ]. After harvesting, the fruits are stored for 3 days in sacks to ripen and allow the pulp soften slightly. They must then be eaten within 3 - 4 days before they dry and rot where bruised[324 ]. The immature endosperm gives a juice called vino de tucuma, used for a drink or in culinary preparations[418 ]. An excellent oil, used for cooking, can be obtained from the fruits[297 , 324 ]. Similar to coconut oil[301 , 418 ]. The seed contains a hard white substance from which a fine edible fat can be extracted[418 ]. The seed contains 30 - 50% oil[419 ]. The fruits and seeds of various species in this genus are reported to be used for oil production in the Amazon region[1869 ]. Existing analyses of fruit fat content show a relatively homogeneous composition among the different species, with around. 20% of fat content in the mesocarp, mostly composed of oleic and palmitic acids, and 20 - 35% of fat content in the endosperm, with a predominance of lauric acid[1869 ]. The palm heart (the inner core and growing bud of the plant) is harvested[418 Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. ]. It provides a crispy food, rich in nutrients, that can be eaten raw or cooked. Harvesting the heart will lead to the death of the stem it was harvested from, though in multi-stemmed plants such as this the rest of the plant will continue to grow and often produce new stems[K ]. A wine is made from the fermented sap of the spathe[418 ].

Medicinal Uses

A decoction of the root is used to treat furunculosis and syphilis[348 ]. The oil from the seed is laxative[348 ]. It is used to treat rheumatism, pain and earache. It is used in a preparation for treating furuncles and is also swabbed onto aching feet and rubbed on feverish people to assist perspiration[348 ]. The fruit can be utilized against the eye disease xerophthalmia (also called ophthalmoxerosis) of which the deficiency of vitamin A is the main reason[418 ]. The whole fruit is used to calm colicky babies[348 ]. The pulp of the fruit is used to treat coughs and as a breath freshener[348 ].

Known Hazards

None known