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The article discusses the uses of the palm species Desmoncus polyacanthos or vara casha in Iquitos, Peru. Vara casha is commonly used for weaving baskets and seats in Iquitos. Furniture with vara casha weaving is found in restaurants, public buildings and private homes all over the town of Iquitos. The palm is also recognized by its long, slender stems with equidistant and distichous leaves along the upper part and the spiny, closed leaf sheaths.