An enormous tree attaining a height of 50 m. in the primary 

 forest, this tree is very important for the Waorani. The petiole is 

 spht and cut into short lengths for making darts for blowguns. 

 The fruits are eaten as food and used in an infusion to treat colds. 



Again, the Waorani refer to the various stages of growth by 

 separate terms. The seeds are called gaibamo, and larger saplings 

 are called nanipacagi, until the plant reaches maturity. Once it has 

 born fruit, the tree is called oompa. 



Phytelephas macrocarpa Ruiz et Pav. in Syst. Veg. 301 (1798). 



Collect.: Davis & Yost 997. 



Waorani Informant: Nang^. Upriver dialect: n.v. wamow^ 



This palm, called tagua in Spanish, is a medium sized tree (8 m.) 

 growing on disturbed ridgetops, or along the river banks 

 throughout Waorani territory. It has a brown, woody basal fruit 

 (wamamo) with a delicious white, fleshy pulp much esteemed by 

 the Indians. The stem (wamoncagi) is for crowns and improvised 

 darts, the k'dfiwamonta) for baskets, and the fibre (wamongi) for 

 brooms, torches, fire starters or blowgun bore-cleaner. 



The fruits contain from six to nine seeds with a thin brown layer 

 on the outside and a very hard endosperm which is the source of 

 vegetable ivory. At one time Ecuador was the chief exporting 

 nation of this commodity and many indigenous tribes were 

 involved in the collection of the seeds. The Waorani were not 

 affected by the vegetable ivory trade and did not participate. 



Socratea exorrhiza H. Wendl. in Bonplandia, 8 (1856) 264. 



Collect.: Davis & Yost 948. 



Waorani Informant: Geque (m). Downriver dialect n.v. y^demo 



This extremely hard forest tree of 30 m. has a conspicuous, 

 edible, yellow fruit. The Waorani use the hard wood to make 

 peccary spears. 



Wettiniacf. guinaria (Cook et Doyle) Burr, in Notizbl. 10(1930) 



941. 

 Collect.: Davis & Yost 1049. 

 Waorani Informant: Tomo & Cfnto (m). Upriver dialect: n.v. 



c 



aveweh^w^ 



175 



