Socratea exorrhiza

taxobox
name = "Socratea exorrhiza"


regnum = Plantae
unranked_divisio = Angiosperms
unranked_classis = Monocots
unranked_ordo = Commelinids
ordo = Arecales
familia = Arecaceae
genus = "Socratea"
species = "S. exorrhiza"
binomial = "Socratea exorrhiza"
binomial_authority = (Mart.) H.Wendl.|

"Socratea exorrhiza", the Walking Palm, is a palm native to rainforests in tropical Central and South America. Its common name arises from the fact that the tree's stilt roots enable it to slowly shift position, up to 1 metre a year to get more sunlight.

This tree grows to 12 metres in height. Its trunk is used in the construction of houses and other structures. It is usually split length-wise before it is used, but it can also be hollowed out and used as a tube.

The inner part of the stilt roots is used as a male aphrodisiac.

References

*Schultes, Richard E. (1974). "Palms and religion in the northwest Amazon." Principes 18 (1): 3-21. "Astrocaryum vulgare", "Bactris gasipaes", "Euterpe oleracea", "E. precatoria", "Leopoldinia piassaba", "Maximiliana martiana", "Oenocarpus bacaba", "Socratea exorrhiza"
* [http://www.rainforestconservation.org/data_sheets/agroforestry/Socratea_exorrhiza.html Rainforest Conservation]
* [http://sloth.ots.ac.cr/local/florula2/list_family.php?key_family=Arecaceae La Selva digital flora (Spanish)]

ee also

*List of plants of Amazon Rainforest vegetation of Brazil