Pacaya palm

Chamaedorea tepejilote

''Chamaedorea tepejilote'', also known at the pacaya palm, is a species of Chamaedorea palm tree found in the understory of the forests of southern Mexico, Central America, and northern Colombia.

The immature male inflorescences of the plant are considered a delicacy in Guatemala and El Salvador. The unopened infloresences resemble an ear of corn in appearance and size. Indeed, the word ''tepejilote'' means "mountain maize" in the Nahuatl language and was selected because of this resemblance.
Pacaya palm taken at tikal ruins guatemala Chamaedorea tepejilote,Geotagged,Guatemala,Pacaya palm,Summer

Uses

Pacaya has a somewhat bitter taste, although less so in cultivated varieties. It is eaten in salads or covered in egg batter and fried. The latter dish is called "rellenos de pacaya," and is often served with tomato sauce, like chiles rellenos.

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Taxonomy
KingdomPlantae
DivisionAngiosperms
ClassMonocots
OrderArecales
FamilyArecaceae
GenusChamaedorea
SpeciesC. tepejilote
Photographed in
Guatemala