Euterpe catinga var. catinga

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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
Venezuela present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Western Amazon region in Colombia (Amazonas, Caquetá, Guainía, Guaviare, Vaupés), Venezuela (Amazonas, Bolívar), Peru (Loreto), and Brazil (Amazonas); open or dwarf forest in wet, poorly drained areas on whitesand soil and black-water drainage areas below 350m m; also in similar habitats in the southwestern Guayana Highland region of Venezuela (Amazonas, Bolívar) in open cloud forest 1100-1500 m.
Fruits are eaten by oilbirds (Steatornis caripensis), which seem to be an important disperser of this species (Galeano, pers. obs.). (Gloria Galeano & A. Henderson: Flora Neotropica, Monograph 72)A

Discussion

  • Spruce (1871) wrote: " It varies so much in the quality of the fruit that, were not all esential characters the same, it might be supposed to include two or more species; for in certain districts the mesocarp of the fruit , though thin, is soft and sweet, amd makes a better drink than even the common Assai or Manaca (E. oleracea); but where the palms grow on almost bare flats of granite rock that are inundated with every shower, the pulp is so grumous or gritty as to be unserviceable." (Gloria Galeano & A. Henderson: Flora Neotropica, Monograph 72)A

Common Name

  • Brazil: acaizinho, assí de caatioga, assaí de catinga, assaí chumbinho, assaí cubinha; Colombia: asaí de sabana, asaí paso, guasaí pequeno; Peru: huasaí de varillal; Venezuela: manaca. (Gloria Galeano & A. Henderson: Flora Neotropica, Monograph 72)A

Uses

  • The stems are used in house construction, the leaves are used for thatching temporary shelters, and mature fruits are occasionally used to make a drink. (Gloria Galeano & A. Henderson: Flora Neotropica, Monograph 72)A

Description

  • Stems cespitose with a few atems, or only 1 stem developed with basal Shoots, or solitary, 5-16 m tall, 3.5-9 cm diam.
    Leaves 5-10; sheath 53-87 cm long including a 1-2 cm ligule, orange or reddish, rarely green, often with burgundy scales, often with a mass of black, elongate, flimsy scales apically; petiole 0-10(-17) cm long, densely covered with black or reddish brown, raised, ramenta-like scales; rachis 1.2-2.4 m long, densely to moderately covered with scales like those of petiole; pinnae 38-75 per side, ±, horizontally spreading; basal pinna 32-75 x 0.3-1 cm; middle pinnae 35-68 x 2-3.5 cm; apical pinna 23-28 x 1-1.8 cm.
    Inflorescences infrafoliar; peduncle 6-9 cm long; prophyll ca. 54 cm long; peduncular bract ca. 60 cm long, prophyll and peduncular bract same color as sheath ; rachis 20-30 cm long; rachillae, 48-97, 48-60 cm long, 2.5-3.5 mm diam. at anthesis, densely covered with short, stiff, branched, whitish brown, 0.1 mm long hairs.
    Fruits 0.8- 1 cm diam. (Gloria Galeano & A. Henderson: Flora Neotropica, Monograph 72)A

Materials Examined

  • COLOMBIA. AMAZONAS: Río Caquetá, Isla Mariñame, 120- 180 m, 26 Apr 1986, Galeano et al. 1175 (COAH, COL, NY); Corrcgimiento de Araracuara. rd. to Puerto Arturo, nr. the airport. "La Nevera," 350 m, 21 Sep 1987, Galeano & Huitoto 1289 (COAH, COL, NY); Puerto Santander, La Chorrera, 250 m, 28 Sep 1987. Galeano & Huitolo 1329(NY); Quebrada del Tigre, ca. 250 m, 20 Sep 1988, Galeano & Miraña 1849 (COAH. COL, NY); Rio Caqueta, rapids al Córdoba, ca. 250 m, 13 Mar 1990, Galeano et al. 2071 (COAH, COL, NY).
    GUAINIA: 02°12'N 68'12'W, 10 Aug 1992, Cortés et al. 325 (COL).
    GUAVIARE: Sierra de Chiribiquete, 01°07'N, 72°50'W, 350-500 m, 13 Dec 1991 , Galeano et al. 2287 (COL, NY).
    VAUPES: Yuruparí, 24 Sep 1939, Cuatrecasas 6992 (COL, US); trail from Río Vaupés to Santa Lucia, Río Querari, 9 Aug 1976, Zarucchi et al. 1887 (COL, NY).
    VENEZUELA. AMAZONAS: Dept. Río Negro, lower Río Guainía, 2 km from the mouth of the Casiquiare, 02°02'N, 66°05'W, 140 m, 26 Jan 1992, Aymard et al. 9770 (NY); Dept. Río Negro, Cerro de la Neblina, base camp on Río Mawarinuma, 00°496'N, 66°09'W, 140 m, 6 Feb 1985, Henderson 12 (NY); 27 Jan 1985, Nee 30571 (NY); Sierra de Unturán, 01°33'N, 65°12'W, 1150 m, 3 Feb 1989, Henderson et al. 949 (NY) Dept. Atures, valley of Río Coro-Coro, W of Serranía deYulaje & 05°41'N, 66°09'W, 1100 m, 7 Mar 1987, Holst & Liesner 3364 (NY); Dept. Alabapo, slope of Cerro Mar huaca, Rio Yameduaka, 03°38'N, 65° 28'W, 1225 m. 20 Feb 1985 Liesner 17734 (NY) Dept. Atabapo, Cerro Marahuaca, 03°43?N, 65°30?W, 1200 m, 18 Oct 1988, Liesner
    25051 (NY); Cerro Sipapo, 1400 m, 17 Dec 1948, Maguire & Politi 27733 (NY); 115 km SE of Puerto Ayacucho. Caño Piedra, 04°54'N, 66°54'W, Sep 1989, Sanoja et al. 2964 (NY); 73 km SE of Puerto Ayacucho, Cerro Cuao, CañoCabeza de Manteco, 05°06?N, 67°24?W, 1580 m, Sep 1989 Sanoja et al. 3096 (NY); Cerro Duida, N of La Esmeralda 03° 10'N, 65°31'W, 1500 m, 2 Feb 1975, Tillett & Zorilla 752-172 (BH); 1-7 Feb 1975, Tillett & Zorilla 752-172a (BH); Dept. Río Negro, Río Pacimoni nr mouth of Yatúa, 01°30´N, 66°30?W, 80 m, Apr 1991, Valazco 2031 (NY); nr.
    San Carlos de Rio Negro, ca. 0 I °55'N, 67'W, ca. 125 m, 17 Jan 1968. Wessels Boer 2252 (NY).
    BOLIVAR: Dist. Cedeño, Serranía Guanay, 05°55'N, 66°23'W, 1700 m 20-28 Oct 1985 Huber 11083 (NY), Cerro Guaiquininma, 05°44'N, 63°41'W, 23 Jan 1977, Steyermark et al. 113387 (BH, MO).
    PERU. LORETO: Provo Maynas, Reereo, 03°42'S, 71°50'W, 110m, 17 Oct 1983, Vásquez & Jaramillo 4503(NY); Prov. Maynas, Iquitos, Nina Ruma, Río Nanay, 03°48'S, 73°25'W, 122 m, 5 Mar 1987. Vásquez et al. 8904 (NY); Prov. Maynas, Iquitos, Puerto Almendras, Río Nanay, 03°48'S, 73°25'W, 122 m, Vásquez & Jaramillo 10968 (NY).
    BRAZIL. AMAZONAS: Manaus, Parque 10, 10 Sep 1955, Coêlho s.n. (INPA); 5 km N of Manaus on rd. to Caracarai, 1 Aug 1986. Henderson & da Silva 636 (NY); Manaus, Tamurã, 6 Aug 1986, Henderson et al. 651 (NY); Reserva Ducke, nr. Manaus on rd. to Itacoatiara, 24 Oct 1989, Henderson & Scariot 1169 (NY); Mpio. Maraã, Rio Japura, ca. 2 hr. walk on trail to Rio Negro from Mutum, ca. 01°50'S, 65°17'W, 12 Jan 1991, Henderson et al. 1541 (NY); Santo Antonio, km 7 on Manaus-Itacoatiara rd., 16 Mar 1967, Moore et al. 9536 (INPA, NY); 16 km N of Manaus, Tarumã, 12 Sep 1966, Prance et al. 2249 (INPA, NY): Serra Curicuriari, 5 Nov 1971, Prance et al. 16116 (BH INPA, NY); 24 Oct 1978, Madison et al. 579 (INPA). (Gloria Galeano & A. Henderson: Flora Neotropica, Monograph 72)A

Bibliography

    A. Gloria Galeano & A. Henderson: Flora Neotropica, Monograph 72
    B. World Checklist of Arecaceae