| Carludovica | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monmeocots |
| Order: | Pandanales |
| Family: | Cyclanthaceae |
| Genus: | Carludovica |
| Species: | C. palmata |
| Binomial name | |
| Carludovica palmata Ruiz & Pav. (1798) |
|
| Synonyms | |
The Panama hat palm or toquilla palm (Carludovica palmata) is a palm-like monocot plant. It is not a true palm. Its leaves are different than the leaves of true palms, and unlike true palms it does not develop a woody trunk. Its female flowers (which mature first) have large stigmas, and its male flowers (which mature later) have a lot of pollen. They reproduce vegetatively, because they do not produce viable seeds.
The Panama hat palm is cultivated from Central America to Bolivia. Its soft, flexible, and durable fibers are used to weave Panama hats[2] and other items.