Mauritia
/mɒˈrɪʃ(ɪ)ə/ /mɔːˈrɪʃ(ɪ)ə/Botany
noun
A genus of tall palm trees (including the ita palm) of tropical South America and the Caribbean which have a crown of fan-shaped leaves and pendulous flower-spikes; (also mauritia) a palm of this genus.
Origin
Late 18th century; earliest use found in Erasmus Darwin (1731–1802), physician and natural philosopher. From scientific Latin Mauritia from the name of Count Johan Mauritsvan Nassau (Prince Maurice of Nassau), Dutch general and administrator who assisted in the publication of the natural history of Brazil + -ia.