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Accession Data:

Carludovica palmata R. & P.

  • Common Name: Panama Hat Plant
  • Family: Cyclanthaceae Dum.

  • Country of Origin: Mexico to Boliva

  • Description: The inflorescence of C. palmata is protogynous, with the female flowers being ripe when the spathes open, which is usually at night. Beetles are attracted by the fragrant odour of the staminodes. They stay in the spadix during the day. During the following night, when the female flowers are no longer functional, the anthers of the male flowers open, the beetles eat pollen and become covered with it, leave the inflorescence and fly to an inflorescence in the female flowering stage, where they carry out pollination.4
  • Uses: Widely used as roof thatch in Ecuador. Also woven into artisan fibers for use in making hats, however the 'Panama Hat'1 for which this plant is known is actually made in Ecuador, whilst the hat made from this fiber in Panama is distinctly different from a 'Panama Hat'. Confused yet?
  • USDA Zone: 10b-11

Accession Data:

  • Accession # 198500218
  • Source: Unknown
  • Accession Date: 12-31-1985
  • Bench: 1318 - NEOA: Ground Bed 2 SW
    • Currently: active - healthy
    • Qty: 1 confirmed on 03-24-2025
  • Restrictions:

    Classification:

    • Division: Magnoliophyta
    • Class: Liliopsida
    • SubClass: monocots
    • Order: Pandanales
    • SubOrder:
    • Family: Cyclanthaceae
    • SubFamily: Carludovicioideae
    • Tribe:
    • SubTribe:

    Flowering Data:

    This accession has been observed in bloom on:
    YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
    2025
    2024
    2023
    2022
    2021
    2020
    2019
    2018
    2017
    2016
    2015
    2014
    2013
    2012
    2011
    2010
    2009
    2008
    2007
    2006
    2005
    2004

    References (internal):

    • Type Species
    • Beetle Pollination (cantharophily)
    • Pollination Syndrome Scavenger Hunt
    • EEB Greenhouse Holdings native to: Mexico Southeast / Belize / Costa Rica / El Salvador / Guatemala / Honduras / Nicaragua / Panama / Venezuela / Bolivia / Colombia / Ecuador / Peru / Brazil North

    References (external):

    1. Panama Hat at Wikipedia
    2. The Plant List (2013). Version 1.1. Last accessed on Friday, July 22, 2016.
    3. WCSP (2016). World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Last accessed on Friday, July 22, 2016.
    4. Carludovica palmata at Plant Resources of SouthEast Asia (PROSEA). Last accessed on Monday, March 05, 2018.

    data regenerated on Mon, 24 Mar 2025 08:33:03 -0400 [bcm v4.0]

    Images:

    Carludovica palmata

    Additional images for this accession:

    Click on thumbnails to enlarge

    Current Accessions in the Cyclanthaceae

    Subfamily Carludovicioideae

    • Carludovica palmata
    • Ludovia integrifolia
    W/C = Wild Collected
    = indicates flowering in past 14 days
    = images available for this accession
    = map available for this accession
    = accession added within past 90 days
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