OIL

Scientific name: Guinean Elaeis

Familia: arecaceae

Origin: West Coast of Africa (Gulf of Guinea).

Popular names: palm, palm, palm, palm, among others.

Natural occurrence: Africa, Southeast Asia and America (Central and South).

Features: It is a palm tree that can reach 15-20 meters in height. Thick, dark trunk, without branches and scarred by old leaves. Feather-like leaves, slightly arched, 3-4 m long, distributed at the top of the tree in number of 30 per crown. The base of the leaves contains curved spines at the margins.

It has small, cream-yellow flowers, gathered in spikes that are supported in short bunches, approximately 20 cm long, fixed close to the trunk, under the base of the leaves. Male and female flowers are produced separately on the same plant. Flowering lasts all year.

Usage: the wood, resulting from felled trunks and replanting, can be transformed into furniture and handicrafts. Palm oil (olive oil and palm kernel) is extracted from the fruit, used for food purposes, in the production of margarine, fats, gelatins, cooking oils, etc.

Oil palm is widely used in traditional African medicine, serving to treat gonorrhea, menorrhagia and perinatal abdominal pain. It is still considered a laxative, antiemetic and diuretic.

Source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Dendezeiro; www.umpedeque.com.br; saberhortifruti.com.br/dende/ ; www.ppmac.org/content/dende

See all tree and shrub species mapped on Bahiana