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The Chontilla (Ecuador),'Aiphanes weberbaueri'', is a solitary spiny palm which is native to regions in Ecuador and Peru. The plant’s stem can grow anywhere from 0-1.5m tall and have a diameter of 3.5-6cm wide. Currently there is still much that is unknown about this species of palm.

Distribution
Aiphanes weberbaueri is found in areas of Ecuador and Peru. More specifically in southern Ecuador and southern Peru around the Eastern Andean slopes up to 1950m. Its region of growth also extends into areas of northern Peru such as the Amazonian lowlands and even as far as Iquitos.

Habitat and Ecology
Its habitat range is in certain regions of Peru and Ecuador. These regions are Río Santiago and Río Marañon as well as Iquitos and Río Nanay. In the areas of Río Santiago and Río Marañon the plant can be found growing in lateritic soil. However, in the areas of Iquitos and Río Nanay they can be found growing in white sand. Currently it seems that there are no differences to the plant with growing in these different soils.

Morphology
Individuals of this species are typically found growing unaccompanied. They are found typically with relatively few suckers that grow around the base of the plant. It’s stem can grow to be about 0-1.5m tall with a diameter of 3.5-6 cm wide. There are 5cm long black spines found on the internodes. There are also about 5-13 spreading leaves. The leaves have a sheath that grows anywhere from 15-42cm long which also have long black spines. This species has green petioles which also have sheath yet the sheath has fewer black spines. The rachis is green and is almost smooth or can have densely yellow or blackish brown spinulose that have black spread out spines. There are anywhere from 6-24 pinnae per side which are separated into groups of about 2-3 pinnae and are spaced out with about 13cm of space. They are normally irregularly located on the distal part of the leaf. There are few times where they are found in a regular on the plant. The plant has an inflorescence interfoliar that can be erect or curving. The inflorescence interfollar are branched to 1 order. There are anywhere from 5-34 rachillae on the plant. The rachillae are normally found in large groups together and have spinules similar to the rachis. The basal rachillae are about 8-35cm long with some having about an 8cm long sterile portion and some have a fertile part with triads that are half the length and about 2-5mm in diameter which are mostly noticeably thickened more so in fruit. The apical rachillae can range from 2-17cm long. The flowers can be found around the rachillae. There are pistillate flowers as well as staminate flowers, which are purple and measure to be about 1-2 x 1-2.5mm. The fruits range from colors of red to purple. The fruits have shallow pits and can be round or slightly elongated. The fruits also have a diameter of 7-10mm wide.

Flowers and fruit
Flowers of “ Aiphanes weberbaueri ”, can be found in around the rachillae, typically in depressions. There are pistillate flowers as well as staminate flowers, which are purple and measure to be about 1-2 x 1-2.5mm. The sepals of the flowers are found to be triangular or even broadly ovate and nearly enclose the petals in bud, they measure out to be about 1-1.5 x 0.5-1.5 mm. The petals measure to be about 1.3-3 x 1.5-2.5 mm and are ovate and somewhat connate around the base of the plant. The fruits range from colors of red to purple. They have pits that are shallow and can be round or somewhat elongated with a diameter of about 7-10mm wide.

Food
In Ecuador the fruits of “Aiphanes weberbaueri'' are eaten and even made into drinks while the palm heart is also eaten.