Bactris gastoniana
Bactris (BAHK-triss) gastoniana (gahs-tohn-ee-AHN-ah) | |||||||
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Treasury trail, Kaw Mountain, Gyuane, (French Guiana). | |||||||
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Contents
Habitat and Distribution
Bactris gastoniana is found in Brazil North, French Guiana, and Suriname. Central and eastern Amazon region in Suriname, French Guiana, and Brazil (Amapa, Amazonas, Pará). Lowland rain forest on terra firme, at 87-500 m elevation.Description
A solitary palm of the undergrowth, acaulescent (stemless) and small, totals less than a meter high, palms arched, and wider than high. Leaflets very long, and pointed, and irregularly arranged, alternately, on two or three sides of the rachis. Palm is solitary, but cespitose, usually in groupings, seldom alone. Usually subterranean, (acualescent), seldom an aerial trunk, and then only a 5-60 cm tall trunk, 0.8-2 cm diam., covered with persistent, decaying leaf bases. Leaves 4-8; leaf spines widely scattered, black, terete, to 5 cm long, on sheath, petiole, and proximal part of rachis, sometimes absent; sheath 11-20 cm long, persistent, fibrous at apex, sheath, petiole and rachis brown-tomentose; ocrea to 10 cm long; petiole 40-75 cm long; rachis 45-55 cm long; pinnae 8-11 per side. Bactris gastoniana is diagnosed by its short stem, sigmoid, aristate, 8-11 pinnae per side, inflorescence with 1 rachilla, staminodial ring, and purple-black fruits. Editing by edric.
Detailed Scientific Description |
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Stems solitary or cespitose (growing in tufts or clumps), subterranean or aerial and then 5-60 cm tall, 0.8-2 cm diam., covered with persistent, decaying leaf bases. Leaves 4-8 per crown; leaf spines widely scattered, black, terete, to 5 cm long, on sheath, petiole, and proximal part of rachis, sometimes absent; sheath 11-20 cm long, persistent, fibrous at apex, sheath, petiole and rachis brown-tomentose; ocrea to 10 cm long; petiole 40-75 cm long; rachis 45-55 cm long; pinnae 8-11 per side, irregularly arranged in clusters of 2-4, spreading in different planes or more or less in the same plane, sigmoid, aristate, minutely spiny on the margins; middle pinnae 19-28 x 2.5-4 cm. Inflorescences interfoliar; peduncle 13-20 cm long, straight, spiny or not spiny; prophyll 9-12 cm long; peduncular bract 16-25 cm long, densely covered with black or brown spines to 1.5 cm long, glabrescent; rachis absent; rachilla 1, 3-4 cm long; triads regularly arranged; staminate flowers to 1 cm long, persistent; sepal lobes to 1.5 cm long; petals to 1 cm long; stamens not seen; pistillate flowers to 6 mm long; calyx urceolate, to 3 mm long; corolla urceolate, to 6 mm long, spinulose; staminodial ring adnate to corolla; fruits 2.5-3 x 1.5-2 cm, densely crowded, ellipsoid or widely ovoid, purple-black; mesocarp juicy; endocarp ellipsoid, the sterile pores displaced longitudinally, the fertile pore displaced latitudinally; endocarp fibers free, numerous, with juice sacs attached; fruiting perianth with small calyx and tubular, many-lobed corolla, with staminodial ring. (Henderson, A.J. 2000)/Palmweb. Bactris gastoniana is diagnosed by its short stem, sigmoid, aristate, 8-11 pinnae per side, inflorescence with 1 rachilla, staminodial ring, and purple-black fruits. (Henderson, A.J. 2000)/Palmweb. |
Culture
Hardiness USDA zones 10a-11.
Comments and Curiosities
External Links
=References
Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.
Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos.
Special thanks to Palmweb.org, Dr. John Dransfield, Dr. Bill Baker & team, for their volumes of information and photos.
Glossary of Palm Terms; Based on the glossary in Dransfield, J., N.W. Uhl, C.B. Asmussen-Lange, W.J. Baker, M.M. Harley & C.E. Lewis. 2008. Genera Palmarum - Evolution and Classification of the Palms. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. All images copyright of the artists and photographers (see images for credits).
Henderson, A.J.2000. Bactris (Palmae). New York Botanical Garden.
Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.