Palm trees of the Amazon and their uses

Name: Palm trees of the Amazon and their uses
Author: Alfred Russel Wallace

By Alfred Russel Wallace

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About This Book

The work surveys numerous Amazonian palm species through detailed descriptions and forty-eight plates, focusing on morphological characters—stems, roots, leaves, inflorescences, and fruit—to aid identification. The author records native names and documents how local peoples employ palms for food, fibers, brooms, oils, and building materials, while noting variation in form and habitat distribution. Botanical remarks on genera, species distinctions, and geographic range accompany personal field observations and practical uses. Several taxa are illustrated from original drawings and compared with specimens in botanical collections to support accurate identification and application.

About the Author

Alfred Russel Wallace

Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913) was a British naturalist, explorer, and biologist, best known for independently formulating the theory of evolution through natural selection, a concept he presented alongside Charles Darwin. His extensive travels in the Amazon and the Malay Archipelago provided him with rich insights into biodiversity and biogeography, which he documented in works such as "A Narrative of Travels on the Amazon and Rio Negro." Wallace also contributed to various fields, including entomology and anthropology, and was an advocate for spiritualism later in life, as reflected in his book "A Defence of Modern Spiritualism." His legacy endures in the realms of science and literature, marking him as a pivotal figure in the history of evolutionary thought.