Carludovica palmata

Carludovica palmata (also known as Panama hat plant, toquilla palm, calá, palmilla, palmero, pojom, jiraca, junco, soyacal, tepejilote, and jipijapa) is a species of flowering plant in the family Cyclanthaceae.^[2][4][5] It is not a true palm, but its leaves are very similar compared to the leaves of some true palms, for example, to Chelyocarpus ulei. Unlike several true palms, C. palmata does not develop a woody trunk. Its female flowers (which mature first) have large stigmas, and its male flowers (which mature later) have a lot of pollen.

Fruit

Carludovica palmata by J. van Aken, 1860-1870

Carludovica palmata
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Pandanales
Family:	Cyclanthaceae
Genus:	Carludovica
Species:	C. palmata
Binomial name
Carludovica palmata Ruiz & Pav.
Synonyms[2][3]
Ludovia palmata (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers. Salmia palmata (Ruiz & Pav.) Willd. Salmia incisa (H.Wendl.) Bosse Carludovica gigantea Kuntze Carludovica humilis (Wawra & Bermann) Kuntze Carludovica incisa H.Wendl. Carludovica incisa var. wendlandii Wawra & Bermann Carludovica jamaicensis Lodd. ex Fawcett & Harris Carludovica palmata var. humilis Wawra & Bermann Carludovica serrata Wawra & Bermann Salmia jamaicensis Steud.

Uses and cultivation

The Panama hat palm is cultivated from Central America to Bolivia. Its soft, flexible, and durable fibers are used to weave Panama hats^[6] and other items. Its leaf shoots are consumed in Central America.^[7]