Palms and Cultural Landscapes

Palms are ubiquitous in Amazonia, in both upland and floodplain environments. Approximately 150 palm species are native to the region, and palm diversity increases as one approaches the Andes (Balslev et al. 2011; Kahn et al. 1988; Kristiansen et al. 2011). However, new palms species have recently been discovered and described, especially in the genus Geonoma, a diminutive palm used extensively to thatch buildings, so the total is likely to be much higher.