Self-guided hike self_guided brochure EN | Page 16

STATION 5
Ceiba Trail
A walking
palm?
It can't run away, but they say it
would win a race with any plant in the
forest. If you want to find it, look for a
palm with roots that are coffee-colored,
have light colored thorns, and stand above
the ground. When you find it, you will have
before you one of the most controversial
plants of the rainforest. Some say that the
long roots allow the palm to move bit by
bit, while other affirm that this is only a
myth. Observe it carefully and form your
own hypothesis.
Can this palm really move?
Walking palm
(Socratea exorrhiza)
Did you know… Various species of palms
and trees have roots that grow out to
the sides. This gives them more
stability in the dirt.