Bactris setulosa H.Karst., Linnaea 28: 408 (1857)

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Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Colombia present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Ecuador present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Peru present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Suriname present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Trinidad-Tobago present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Venezuela present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Venezuelan Antilles present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
The Andean region of Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador, as well as Surinam and Trinidad.
Distribution in Ecuador. In W Ecuador the species is common in tropical moist forest and premontane wet forest up to 1000 m altitude (rarely to 1700 m), in E Ecuador it occurs in premontane wet forest at 1300-1700 m elevation, the highest altitude recorded for any Bactris species. (Borchsenius F., Borgtoft-Pedersen H. and Baslev H. 1998. Manual to the Palms of Ecuador. AAU Reports 37. Department of Systematic Botany, University of Aarhus, Denmark in collaboration with Pontificia Universidad Catalica del Ecuador)A

Discussion

  • Plants from the two sides of the Andes have been thought to represent separate species with different ecological preference, but the only morphological difference noted is that plants from the E slopes have more or less glabrous inflorescence branches, whereas plants from the W slopes have the whole inflorescence more or less brown tomentose. (Borchsenius F., Borgtoft-Pedersen H. and Baslev H. 1998. Manual to the Palms of Ecuador. AAU Reports 37. Department of Systematic Botany, University of Aarhus, Denmark in collaboration with Pontificia Universidad Catalica del Ecuador)A

Description

  • Understorey palm. Stems clustered, 5-10 m tall and 10-15 cm in diameter, densely armed with black spines. Leaves 1.5-3 m long; pinnae 30-70 on each side, inserted in groups and spreading in different planes, the central ones 60-100 cm long and 5-9 cm wide, usually with a dense cover of short bristles. Inflorescence 30-60 cm long; branches 30-60, to 30 cm long. Female flowers scattered along the branches. Fruit red, more or less globose, 15-20 mm in diameter; fruiting perianth with a very small calyx and a much longer, cupular corolla; staminodial ring absent. (Borchsenius F., Borgtoft-Pedersen H. and Baslev H. 1998. Manual to the Palms of Ecuador. AAU Reports 37. Department of Systematic Botany, University of Aarhus, Denmark in collaboration with Pontificia Universidad Catalica del Ecuador)A

Use Record

  • Bactris setulosa H.Karst.: Alimento. Cogollo. Medicinal. Fruto. (Cerón, C.E., and C.I. Reyes 2007: Parches de bosque y etnobotánica Shuar en Palora, Morona Santiago-Ecuador.)
    Use CategoryUse Sub CategoryPlant PartHuman GroupEthnic GroupCountry
    Human FoodFoodPalm heartIndigenousShuarEcuador
    Medicinal and VeterinaryNot specified at allFruitsIndigenousShuarEcuador
  • Bactris setulosa H.Karst.: Bactris cf. Setulosa is highly valued by the local population for its edible fruits. (...). For this reason, it is often left when the forest is cleared for pasture, and appears to be some interest in cultivating this species. (Svenning, J.C., and H. Balslev 1998: The palm flora of the Maquipucuna montane forest reserve, Ecuador)
    Use CategoryUse Sub CategoryPlant PartHuman GroupEthnic GroupCountry
    EnvironmentalAgroforestryEntire plantMestizoN/AEcuador
    Human FoodFoodFruitsMestizoN/AEcuador
  • Bactris setulosa H.Karst.: Bactris setulosa (chonta) grows up to 1400 m altitude. The red fruits (2 cm diameter) are cooked or roasted and the pulp eaten. (Van den Eynden, V., E. Cueva, and O. Cabrera 2004: Edible palms of Southern Ecuador)
    Use CategoryUse Sub CategoryPlant PartHuman GroupEthnic GroupCountry
    Human FoodFoodFruitsMestizoN/AEcuador
  • Bactris setulosa H.Karst.: Heart (4) (Byg, A. and H. Balslev 2004: Factors affecting local knowledge of palms in Nangaritza valley, Southeastern Ecuador)
    Use CategoryUse Sub CategoryPlant PartHuman GroupEthnic GroupCountry
    Human FoodFoodPalm heartNot identifiedN/AEcuador
  • Bactris setulosa H.Karst.: Stems are used for house construction; when placed in the ground they will last up to 12 years, in cement even longer; one stem is sold for 30 sucres. (Borchsenius F., Borgtoft-Pedersen H. and Baslev H. 1998. Manual to the Palms of Ecuador. AAU Reports 37. Department of Systematic Botany, University of Aarhus, Denmark in collaboration with Pontificia Universidad Catalica del Ecuador)
    Use CategoryUse Sub CategoryPlant PartHuman GroupEthnic GroupCountry
    ConstructionHousesStemNot identifiedN/AEcuador
  • Bactris setulosa H.Karst.: Uso Alimenticio. Los frutos se cocinan y con maduro se prepara chicha. Los frutos tiernos se come sin cocerlos. Las hojas tiernas (cogollo) se come como palmito. (Cerón, C.E., C. Montalvo, A. Calazacón et al. 2004: Etnobotánica Tsáchila, Pichincha-Ecuador)
    Use CategoryUse Sub CategoryPlant PartHuman GroupEthnic GroupCountry
    Human FoodFoodFruitsIndigenousTsáchilaEcuador
    Human FoodBeveragesFruitsIndigenousTsáchilaEcuador

Bibliography

    A. Borchsenius F., Borgtoft-Pedersen H. and Baslev H. 1998. Manual to the Palms of Ecuador. AAU Reports 37. Department of Systematic Botany, University of Aarhus, Denmark in collaboration with Pontificia Universidad Catalica del Ecuador
    B. World Checklist of Arecaceae