Book excerpt: The pejibaye, Bactris gasipaes H.B.K. is an important fruit common in some areas of the American Tropics and unknown in others. It is a palm native to South American forests, and was introduced to Central America in pre-Columbian times, but is still seldom found in the Caribbean and other tropical areas. The palm has several spiny trunks that each bear several multifruited panicles yearly. The fruits contain a single seed. The trees are usually propagated from seeds, but better techniques are needed to preserve selected trees as clones. The trees are adapted to a wide variety of tropical soils and climates, and so far, few important diseases have been found. When mature,the fruits are harvested by a variety of techniques, none of which is very satisfactory. Harvested fruit is easily damaged and damaged fruits rot rapidly. Mature fruits are boiled, and the pulp is eaten fresh, made into a meal, or macerated to make a drink. The seed is also edible. The palm cabbage is also harvested, usually from old trunks that are being removed anyway.