Mauritiella armata

Mauritiella armata is an evergreen palm tree producing a clump of stems growing from 2 - 20 metres tall. The several, unbranched the trunk of a treeboles growing from the base are around 20cm in diameter and armed with spines; they are topped by a canopy of a treecrown of 4 - 10 leaves. The plant is harvested from the wild for its fruit, which is used to make a popular drink. The hard seeds of the plant are used to make buttons and the wood is also useful. The plant is also cultivated, especially in Brazil.

A drink is prepared from the the middle layer of pericarp, the fleshy part of some fruitmesocarp of the fruits. It is drunk with cassava meal and sugar. Some people believe that the flavour of this drink is superior to the very popular drink 'Miriti', obtained from Martinia flexuosa.

If you like Mauritiella armata, you might also like Pouteria aff. torta "Maranhao" or Talisia sp. "Maranhao"