Bactris glassmanii

Bactris (BAHK-triss) glassmanii (glass-man'-ee)
Entre Rios (Bahia, Brazil). Roadside of scrub forest. Photo by Dr. Alex V. Popovkin.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Bactris (BAHK-triss) Species: glassmanii (glass-man'-ee)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
America
Morphology
Habit: Clustering & caespitose. Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Brazil: ariri.

Habitat and Distribution

Atlantic coastal forest in Brazil (Alagoas, Bahia, Pernambuco).

Entre Rios (Bahia, Brazil). Roadside of scrub forest. Photo by Dr. Alex V. Popovkin.

Coastal restinga vegetation on sandy soils, and adjacent forest areas, near sea level.

Description

Stems cespitose, 1-3 m tall, 0.8-2 cm in diam., not spiny. Leaves 3-8 per crown; leaf spines scattered, yellowish brown, somewhat flattened, to 3 cm long, dense on sheath and lateral surfaces of petiole, fewer or absent on rachis; sheath 10:-20 cm long, fibrous at apex; ocrea to 20 cm long; petiole (5-) 10-60 (-68) cm long; rachis (30-) 45-90 (100) cm long; pinnae 12-25 per side, irregularly arranged in clusters of 2-5, spreading in different planes, linear or lanceolate; middle pinnae 10-40 x 0.5-5.5 cm. Inflorescences interfoliar; peduncle 4-15 cm long, straight, not spiny; prophyll not seen; peduncular bract 8-24 cm long, brownish tomentose, moderately covered with straight, reddish brown spines to 7 mm long, curving down from the apex over the developing fruits; rachis 4-10 cm long; rachillae 4-24, 2-8 cm long, at anthesis densely covered with moniliform trichomes; triads irregularly arranged among paired or solitary staminate flowers; staminate flowers 3-4 mm long, sometimes pedicellate; sepal lobes 1 mm long; petals 3-4 mm long; stamens 6; pistillode trifid, to 1 mm long; pistillate flowers 2-3 mm long; calyx cupular, 0.5 mm long; corolla tubular, 1.7-2.5 mm long; staminodes not seen;fruits 0.6-2 cm in diam., depressed-globose, briefly rostrate, purple-black; mesocarp juicy; endocarp depressed-globose, the sterile pores displaced longitudinally; endocarp fibers free, numerous, with juice sacs attached; fruiting perianth small, entire-margined, 1 mm long calyx and entire-margined, 2 mm long corolla, without staminodial ring. (Henderson, A.J., Bactris (Palmae) in Flora Neotropica Monographs 79. 2000)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.

Bactris glassmanii is diagnosed by its scattered, yellowish brown, somewhat flattened leaf spines to 3 cm long, peduncular bract curving down from the apex over the developing infructescence; and purple-black fruits. It is named for Sydney Glassman, student of American palms. (Henderson, A.J., Bactris (Palmae) in Flora Neotropica Monographs 79. 2000)/Palmweb.

Culture

Cold Hardiness Zone: 10a