Prestoea acuminata is a species of palm tree native to Central America, the West Indies and South America.
It was formerly widely harvested in Ecuador for palmito. However, the palm is now uncommon due to overharvesting and is no longer commercially harvested on a large scale.
Subspecies Three subspecies are accepted:Prestoea acuminata (Willd.) H.E.Moore. Plants of the World Online, Kew Science. Accessed 29 January 2023. Prestoea acuminata var. acuminata – Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, and Trinidad and Tobago.Prestoea acuminata var. acuminata. Plants of the World Online, Kew Science. Accessed 29 January 2023. Prestoea acuminata var. dasystachys (Burret) A.J.Hend. & Galeano – Colombia and northwestern Venezuela.Prestoea acuminata var. dasystachys (Burret) A.J.Hend. & Galeano. Plants of the World Online, Kew Science. Accessed 29 January 2023. Prestoea acuminata var. montana (Graham) A.J.Hend. & Galeano – Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Leeward Islands, Windward Islands, Trinidad and Tobago.Prestoea acuminata var. montana (Graham) A.J.Hend. & Galeano. Plants of the World Online, Kew Science. Accessed 29 January 2023.
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