 The genus Attalea was first described Carl Sigismund Kunth in 1816 based on specimens collected by Alexander von Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland , although older , pre @-@ Linnaean descriptions exist , including Charles Plumier 's 1703 description of A. crassispatha . The genus was named for Attalus III Philometor , king of Pergamon , known for his interest in medicinal plants . The type species is A. amygdalina , a Colombian endemic . The genera Maximiliana and Orbignya were described by Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius in 1826 and 1837 respectively . Scheelea was described by Hermann Karsten in 1857 , and Ynesa by Orator F. Cook in 1942 . 
 The genus Attalea was first described Carl Sigismund Kunth in 1816 based on specimens collected by Alexander von Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland , although older , <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>pre</mark></a> @-@ Linnaean descriptions exist , including Charles Plumier <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>1703 description of A. crassispatha . The genus was named for Attalus III Philometor , king of Pergamon , known for his interest in medicinal plants . The type species <a href='drop_aux' title='3'><mark>is</mark></a>A. amygdalina , a Colombian endemic . The genera Maximiliana and Orbignya <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>were</mark></a> described by Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius in 1826 and 1837 respectively . Scheelea was described by Hermann Karsten in 1857 , and Ynesa by Orator F. Cook in 1942 . 
The genus Attalea was first described Carl Sigismund Kunth in 1816 based on specimens collected by Alexander von Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland , although older , pred @-@ Linnaean descriptions exist , including Charles Plumier  1703 description of A. crassispatha . The genus was named fir Attalus III Philometor , king of Pergamon , known fa his interest in medicinal plants . The type species A. amygdalina , a Colombian endemic . The genera Maximiliana and Orbignya was described by Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius in 1826 and 1837 respectively . Scheelea was described by Hermann Karsten in 1857 , and Ynesa by Orator F. Cook in 1942 .