Prestoea acuminata var. montana

Prestoea acuminata var. montana is a perennial palm in the family Arecaceae.

Description

A palm with a thin and tall stipe and a uniform diameter, reaching heights of 45 feet.

Distribution

It is found throughout the Greater Antilles as well as the Lesser Antilles of the Caribbean.

Habitat

Generally found in mountains of up to high. It grows in the forest of creeks in the mountains, and on the steep slopes of the highest peaks in Puerto Rico. It is also found in Toro Negro State Forest, in the Puerto Rico Cordillera Central. According to studies in the Luquillo Mountains, this palm also is associated with landslides.

Uses

The fruit is the favorite food of the Puerto Rican parrot.

Taxonomy

The plant was first described as Euterpe montana and was later transferred to the genus Prestoea.
;Etymology:
Prestoea: generic name in honor of Henry Prestoe, English botanist and traveler, who collected the plant in Trinidad.
montana: from the Latin, meaning "from the mountain".