Ceroxylon alpinum (Andean Wax Palm)

Native to Colombia and Venezuela, this solitary palm tree grows about 26 to 69 feet tall in wet Andean forests. In Colombia, it occurs between about 4,600 and 6,550 feet. Its straight, ringed trunk carries a thin coating of wax, and its feather-shaped leaves have regularly spaced leaflets. Male and female flowers grow on separate palms. The round fruits ripen orange-red and are eaten by birds that disperse the seeds. Its stems have been used for fences and house construction. The species is endangered in Colombia, where much of its forest habitat has been converted to coffee plantations and pasture. Photographed in Bogotá, Colombia.