Bactris campestris

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Bactris campestris
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Scientific Classification
Genus: Bactris Species: campestris
Synonyms
Bactris leptocarpa, Bactris savannarum, Bactris lanceolata.
Native Continent
America
Morphology
Habit: Solitary Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Brazil: mumbaca branca. Suriname: kiskismaka. Venezuela: cubarro, ibasabasa.

Habitat and Distribution

Brazil North, and Northeast, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, Venezuela, Northeastern South America in eastern Colombia, (Caqueta, Vichada), Venezuela (Amazonas, Delta Amacuro), the Guianas, Trinidad and Tobago, and Brazil (Amapa, Amazonas, Maranhao, Pará, Roraima). Found in open areas, white-sand savannas, or in low forest on white sand, generally in poorly drained places, at 10-420(-800) m elevation.

Description

A clustering palm of the savannahs, especially on white sand, thorny stem, up to 7m. Bactris campestris is diagnosed, by its grayish brown (darker at base and apex), strongly flattened leaf spines, reddish brown tomentum of the inflorescence, and small, globose, red or orange-red fruits. It is further distinguished by its open, savanna habitat. It varies considerably in the size of all its parts, than plants from forest margins that are usually much larger than those from open areas. Stems cespitose, in small clumps, 1-5 m tall, 3-4 cm diam., often covered with persistent, decaying leaf bases. Leaves 2-5; leaf spines somewhat clustered, grayish brown, darker at base and apex, strongly flattened, occasionally spinulose and tomentose, 2(-4) cm long, dense on sheath and petiole, fewer on abaxial surface of rachis, rarely few and then only on sheath; sheath 24-50 cm long, sheath, petiole, and rachis often gray-tomentose, with reddish brown or black scales; ocrea to 10 cm long; petiole 15-90 cm long; rachis 0.6-1.1 m long; pinnae 17-32, irregularly arranged in clusters of 2-5, spreading in different planes

Curiosities

The palm heart is mixed with water, and placed on the tongue to treat rattlesnake bites.

References

Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos, edric.

• IMAGE GALLERY

Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.

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