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The black bony shells of the starnut palm, Astrocaryum, are carved into beads, earrings and other types of ornament in South America. Star-like markings on one end of the seed suggest the generic name derived from the Greek, ÔastronÕ, star, and ÔkaryonÕ, nut.
The fruits of these palms provide a nutritious beverage for tribes in South America. The oil extracted from them is used for cooking, lighting and medicine. In the Amazon a seed is placed on an infant's necklace to ensure that it walks at an appropriate age.2
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