Euterpe oleracea

(Assai Palm)

Description

This South American palm grows to about 18 m tall, stems are clustered; crownshaft has a reddish tinge; leaves pinnate to 2.7 m long on a short petiole, pinnae are spreading. Inflorescence forms a dense compound head with flowers usually in triads with a mixture of male and female in the one inflorescence; fruit is subglobose, to 0.6 cm diameter, purple to black.