OF THE AMAZON. 117 



PLATE XLYI. 

 Attalea speciosa, Martins. 



Uauassu, Lingoa Geral. 



This noble palm has the stem fifty or sixty feet high, 

 straight, cylindrical and nearly smooth. The leaves are 

 very large, terminal and regularly pinnate. The leaflets 

 are elongate, rigid, closely set together, and spreading 

 out flat on each side of the midrib. The sheathing 

 bases of the petioles are persistent for a greater or less 

 distance down the stem, and in young trees down to 

 the ground, as in the (Enocarpus batawd. 



The spadices grow from among the leaves and are 

 large and simply branched. The fruit is of large size 

 compared with most American palms, being about three 

 inches long, and from this circumstance it derives its 

 native name " Uauassu," signifying " large fruit." 



The foliage of this tree is very extensively used for 

 thatching. The young plants produce very large leaves 

 before the stem is formed, and it is in this state that 

 they are generally used. The unopened leaves from 

 the centre are preferred, as, though they require some 

 preparation, they produce a more uniform thatch. The 

 leaf is shaken till it falls partially open, and then each 

 leaflet is torn at the base so as to remain hanging by 

 its midrib only, which is however quite sufficient to 

 secure it firmly. They thus hang all at right angles to 



