Bactris kunorum de Nevers & Grayum, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. , IV, 49: 195 (1996)

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Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Panamá present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Central Panamá (Panama, San Blas).
Lowland or premon-tane rain forest at 100-850 m elevation (Henderson, A.J., Bactris (Palmae) in Flora Neotropica Monographs 79. 2000)A

Discussion

  • Bactris kunorum is diagnosed by its leathery, strongly plicate pinnae (or blade) with adaxially prominent veins, and obovoid fruits 1.4-1.9 x 1.3-2 cm. It is similar to Bactris coloradonis, from which it is distinguished by its more leathery, plicate leaves. It is a member of a group of similar species confined to Central America and the Pacific coast of Colombia and Ecuador characterized by their obovoid, orange or red fruits. (Henderson, A.J., Bactris (Palmae) in Flora Neotropica Monographs 79. 2000)A

Description

  • Stems cespitose, in tight clumps of 4-6 stems, 2-6 m tall, to 5 cm diam., usually spiny on internodes.
    Leaves 4-9; leaf spines scattered, black, terete, to 6 cm long, dense on lateral surfaces of sheath and petiole, fewer on abaxial surface of rachis; sheath 22-54 cm long, sheath, petiole, and rachis whitish brown-tomentose; ocrea not seen; petiole 20-27 cm long; rachis (42-)65-135 cm long; pinnae 4-14 per side, irregularly arranged in clusters, spreading in different planes, concave, glabrous, thick and leathery, strongly plicate, with prominent veins adaxially; middle pinnae 45-87 x 3.5-5.5 cm (apical and sometimes basal ones much wider), blade occasionally simple, bifid, 90-110 cm long, 22-36 cm wide at apex of rachis.
    Inflorescences interfoliar; peduncle 10-29 cm long, strongly recurved, densely spiny; prophyll 11-14 cm long; peduncular bract 30-45 cm long, 3-5 cm wide, sparsely covered with short, black spines to 0.5 cm long; rachis 3-7 cm long; rachillae 24-30, 8-14 cm long, at anthesis densely covered with brown or white, moniliform trichomes; triads irregularly arranged among paired or solitary staminate flowers; staminate flowers 2-4 mm long; sepal lobes 1-1.5 mm long; petals 3-4 mm long; stamens 6; pistillode absent; pistillate flowers 3-5 mm long; calyx cupular, 1 mm long; corolla tubular, 3-4 mm long; staminodes 6, minute, or absent; fruits 1.3-2 cm diam., obovoid, prominently and bluntly rostrate, 1.4-1.9 cm long, orange or red; mesocarp mealy; endocarp turbinate, pitted or smooth, the sterile pores slightly displaced longitudinally; endocarp fibers few, terete or flat; fruiting perianth with minutely 3-lobed calyx and crenate corolla, without staminodial ring. (Henderson, A.J., Bactris (Palmae) in Flora Neotropica Monographs 79. 2000)A

Bibliography

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