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General Information

COMMON NAMES: Panama Plant GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE C.America - Bolivia COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Introduced - Recent, Not naturalised; Land, lowlands SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Ornamental leaves KEY FEATURES: Herb to 4m. RHIZOME under the ground, short. LEAVES to 4m total; blade fan-like, to 1m wide, plicate; broad teeth with drooping lobes; stalk long, to 2.5m, ascending.

Cook Islands Distribution

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Southern Group: Present    Makatea: Present
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
++	-	P	-	-	-	-	-	-

Northern Group: -
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
-	-	-	-	-	-

Carludovica palmata Ruiz & Pav.
TAXONOMY: PLANTAE; ANTHOPHYTA (=Angiospermae); LILIOPSIDA (=Monocotyledones); ARECIDAE; Cyclanthales; CYCLANTHACEAE

GENERAL NOTE: Panama Hats are made from the young leaves, which are washed, dried, bleached, and plaited. The hats are resilient and flexible and can regain their shape after being rolled or squashed. These hats are mainly made in Ecuador, with some in Colombia and Peru. The name Panama was applied because the hats were exported to Europe from Panama. [after information at Kew Gardens]

Vouchers:
None Recorded.

References:
p.129 Neal - In Gardens of Hawaii
p.391 Tropica
p.25 R Wilder - Flora of Rarotonga
p.387a Whistler - Ethnobotany of the Cook Islands

Data Update History (information):
zB02, zD06a

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