Copernicia alba

Common name

caranday palm

Description

Stems: Solitary, erect stems, to 30 m tall (usually shorter in cultivation), up to 20 cm in diameter. Stems of younger individuals are covered with old leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
bases; older palms with smooth, columnar stems ringed by faint leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
scars. Leaves: Palmatepalmate:
like the palm of a hand; fan palms have palmate leaves that are usually divided into leaf segments arising from a central point, although a fan palm may have entire leaves (e.g., <em>Licuala grandis</em>)
, induplicateinduplicate:
Most palm leaflets or leaf segments are obviously folded. If the folds create a V-shape, with the midrib lower than the margins (so that rain might fall "into a valley"), the folding is induplicate.
, with an elongated petiole, a more or less circular blade to 1 m across, and stiff leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
segments. The upper leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
surface is green; the undersurface, waxy gray to silver; leaftips, bifidbifid:
deeply cleft into two usually equal parts or two-lobed from the apex; for example, palms with bifid leaves or leaflet tips (e.g., <em>Chamaedorea metallica</em> has bifid leaves)
. The petiole is armed with curved teeth and is not split at the base. Flowers and fruits: Inflorescenceinflorescence:
the reproductive structure of a flowering plant, including palms, consisting of flowers and associated bracts
is longer than leaves and much branched. The flowers have both male and female parts. Fruits are up to 2 cm long and 9-17 mm in diameter, turning black when ripe.

Diagnostic features

Field: Palmatepalmate:
like the palm of a hand; fan palms have palmate leaves that are usually divided into leaf segments arising from a central point, although a fan palm may have entire leaves (e.g., <em>Licuala grandis</em>)
leaves with heavy wax, recurved teeth along the petiole, and feathery inflorescences far exceeding the leaves

Lab: Leaf leaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
midribs prominent on the underside; transverse veins are not obvious. Pale tan to buff colored wooly tomentumtomentum:
a covering of closely matted or fine hairs on plant leaves
along base of leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
blade and midribs

May be confused with

Copernicia prunifera, the carnuba wax palm, but C. prunifera has spirally arranged leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
bases that persist around the stems, is usually no more than 12 m tall, and has leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
blades 1.5-2 m wide with heavy wax on both upper and lower surfaces.

Distribution

Native to subtropical South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay) in seasonally flooded savannas

Additional comments

This species is the most cold hardy of the genus.

Scientific name

Copernicia alba Morong

Family

Arecaceae/Palmae

Synonyms

Copernicia australis Becc.

Copernicia cerifera Mart.

Copernicia nigra Morong ex Becc.

Copernicia ramulosa Burret

Copernicia rubra Morong