About Astrocaryum aculeatissimum (Schott) Burret
Astrocaryum aculeatissimum, with synonyms Astrocaryum ayri Mart. and Toxophoenix aculeatissima Schott, is a palm species native to Atlantic Coast restingas vegetation, an ecosystem within the Atlantic Forest biome of Brazil. This plant has commercial value, as it produces useful fibers that can be used to manufacture brooms. The trunk of this palm is covered in rings of very sharp spines. Some biologists hypothesize that these spines evolved to protect the plant from the now-extinct giant ground sloth Megatherium.
