About Aiphanes horrida (Jacq.) Burret
Aiphanes horrida is a solitary, spiny palm native to northern South America and Trinidad and Tobago. In the wild, this tree grows 3–10 metres (9–30 feet) tall with a stem diameter of 6–10 centimetres (2–4 inches); cultivated trees may reach 15 m (49 feet) tall with a 15 cm (6 inches) diameter. The species occurs in dry forests between sea level and 1700 m (5600 feet) above sea level in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela, and is not native to Ecuador. It is cultivated as an ornamental throughout the tropics. The epicarp and mesocarp of its fruit are rich in carotene and eaten in Colombia, its seeds are used to make candles, and in parts of the Colombian Llanos, endocarps are used to play games. Taxonomic authorities disagree on the correct name for this species. Many authors, including Henderson et al. (1995) and Borchenius and Bernal (1996), use A. aculeata instead of A. horrida. These authors date Jacquin's description of Caryota horrida to 1809, three years after Willdenow's 1806 description. Govaerts et al. (2006), however, date Jacquin's work to 1801, which gives A. horrida priority over A. aculeata.
