Bactris macroacantha Mart., Hist. Nat. Palm. 2: 95 (1826)

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Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Brazil North present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Colombia present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Peru present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Western Amazon region in Colombia (Amazonas), Peru (Cusco, Huanuco, Loreto, Pasco, San Martin, Ucayali), and Brazil (Amazonas, Pará, Rondonia).
Lowland forest on terra firme at 120-370 m elevation. (Henderson, A.J., Bactris (Palmae) in Flora Neotropica Monographs 79. 2000)A

Discussion

  • Bactris macroacantha is diagnosed by its pinnae with prominent marginal, spinulose veins (when dry with prominent, yellowish, central and marginal veins), peduncular bract densely covered with brown or yellowish, appressed, flattened, laciniate spines, and spinulose pistillate corolla shorter than the calyx. Synonymy was established by Henderson (1995). Scattered specimens from the eastern part of the range have much smaller fruits than those from Peru. (Henderson, A.J., Bactris (Palmae) in Flora Neotropica Monographs 79. 2000)A

Common Name

  • Colombia: ñeeinó (Andoke). Brazil: marajá. Ecuador: kamancha (Shuar, Achuar). Peru: ñeja. (Henderson, A.J., Bactris (Palmae) in Flora Neotropica Monographs 79. 2000)A

Description

  • Stems cespitose, often in dense clumps, 0.5-4 m tall, 2-4 cm diam., spiny or not spiny on internodes.
    Leaves 2-6; leaf spines black or occasionally yellowish brown, flattened (but tapering from base), to 8 cm long, dense on sheath and lateral surfaces of petiole, absent from rachis; sheath 25-47 cm long, sheath, petiole, and rachis densely brown-tomentose (often with a non-tomentose abaxial stripe; ocrea to 8 cm long; petiole 25-80 cm long; rachis 1-1.8 m long; pinnae 13-30 per side, either regularly or irregularly arranged, spreading in one or different planes, oblan-ceolate to sigmoid, with distinct, spinulose marginal veins (when dry with prominent, yellowish, central and marginal veins); middle pinnae (19-)28-50 x (3-) 4.5-9 cm.
    Inflorescences interfoliar; peduncle 22-38 cm long, recurved, spiny or not spiny; prophyll 12-20 cm long; peduncular bract 35-61 cm long, densely covered with brown or yellowish, appressed, flattened, laciniate spines; rachis 4.5-5 cm long; rachillae 7-12, 8.5-14 cm long, at anthesis densely covered with moniliform trichomes; triads irregularly arranged among paired or solitary staminate flowers; staminate flowers 3.5-4 mm long; sepal lobes 1.5-2 mm long; petals 3.5-4 mm long; stamens 6; pistillode absent; pistillate flowers 4-6 mm long; calyx tubular, 4-6 mm long; corolla tubular, 3-4 mm long, usually densely spinulose; staminodes minute; fruits 2.5-3.2 x 2-2.3 cm, broadly obovoid, prominently rostrate, purple-black; mesocarp juicy; endocarp turbinate or oblong, the sterile pores slightly to markedly displaced longitudinally; endocarp fibers free, numerous, with juice sacs attached; fruiting perianth with regularly and shortly lobed calyx shorter than the regularly and shortly lobed, spinulose corolla, without staminodial ring. (Henderson, A.J., Bactris (Palmae) in Flora Neotropica Monographs 79. 2000)A

Use Record

  • Bactris macroacantha Mart.: Alimenticio. (Cárdenas, D., J.C. Arias, J.A. Vanegas, D.A. Jiménez, O. Vargas,and L. Gómez 2007: Plantas útiles y promisorias en la Comunidad de Wacurabá (Caño Cuduyarí) en el Departamento de Vaupés (Amazonía Colombiana).)
    Use CategoryUse Sub CategoryPlant PartHuman GroupEthnic GroupCountry
    Human FoodFoodNot specifiedIndigenousCubeoColombia
  • Bactris macroacantha Mart.: Bactris macroacantha Mart. Español: Nejilla Usos: Alimenticio — Los frutos maduros son comestibles. Comunidad: 1, 4, 6, 7, 9, 12–16, 19–21, 23–25, 27. Voucher: H. Balslev 7536. (Balslev, H., C. Grandez, et al. 2008: Useful palms (Arecaceae) near Iquitos, Peruvian Amazon)
    Use CategoryUse Sub CategoryPlant PartHuman GroupEthnic GroupCountry
    Human FoodFoodFruitsNot identifiedN/APeru

Bibliography

    A. Henderson, A.J., Bactris (Palmae) in Flora Neotropica Monographs 79. 2000
    B. World Checklist of Arecaceae