Astrocaryum mexicanum

Astrocaryum mexicanum, the chocho palm, cohune palm, or chapay, is a species of cocosoid palm in the family Arecaceae, native to Mexico and Central America.^[1][2] It is very long-lived for a palm, reaching 140 years.^[3] Local people harvest its young inflorescences, its seeds, and its hearts for food.^[2][4] Covered with stout spines, it is hardy to USDA zone 10a, and is occasionally planted as an ornamental in places such as Hawaii and Southern California.^[5]

Astrocaryum mexicanum
At the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Even the spathe of the flowers is spiny
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Clade:	Commelinids
Order:	Arecales
Family:	Arecaceae
Genus:	Astrocaryum
Species:	A. mexicanum
Binomial name
Astrocaryum mexicanum Liebm. ex Mart.
Synonyms[1]
List Astrocaryum chichon Linden Astrocaryum cohune (S.Watson) Standl. Astrocaryum rostratum Hook.f. Astrocaryum warszewiczii H.Karst. Bactris cohune S.Watson Hexopetion mexicanum (Liebm. ex Mart.) Burret