Description: Astrocaryum aculeatissimum. I don't know of an English common name. This is a common palm in our part of the lowland Atlantic Forest, with sharp needle-like spines on the trunk and these large orange-brown fruit. I'm told the spines were used as sewing needles by indigenous people and that the wood is good for making bows. The fruit is apparently good for making pulp from about September (we'll see!). Date: 10 August 2007, 07:41. Source: Brejaúva -- Astrocaryum aculeatissimum. Author: timinbrazil.