An efficient procedure has been developed for inducing somatic embryogenesis and regeneration of plants from tissue cultures of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.). Thin transverse sections (thin cell layer explants) of different position in the shoot apex and leaf sheath of oil palm were cultivated in Murashige and Skoog (MS) (Physiol Plant 15:473-497, 1962) medium supplemented with 0-450 µM picloram and 2,4-D with 3.0% sucrose, 500 mg L −1 glutamine, and 0.3 gL −1 activated charcoal and gelled with 2.5 gL −1 Phytagel. Embryogenic calluses were evaluated 12 wk after inoculation. Picloram (450 µM) was effective in inducing embryogenic calluses in 41.5% of the basal explants. Embryogenic calluses were maintained on a maturation medium composed of basal media, plus 0.6 µM NAA and 12.30 µM 2iP, 0.3 gL −1 activated charcoal, and 500 mg L −1 glutamine, with subcultures at 4-wk intervals. Somatic embryos were converted to plants on MS medium with macro-and micronutrients at half-strength, 2% sucrose, and 1.0 gL −1 activated charcoal and gelled with 2.5 gL −1 Phytagel.