Bactris caudata H.Wendl. ex Burret, Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 34: 230 (1934)

Primary tabs

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Distribution

Map uses TDWG level 3 distributions (https://github.com/tdwg/wgsrpd)
Costa Rica present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Nicaragua present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Panamá present (World Checklist of Arecaceae)B
Distribution and habitat. Nicaragua (Río San Juan, Zelaya), Costa Rica (Alajuela, Cartago, Heredia), and Panama (Bocas del Toro); lowland rain forest at 5-700 m elevation. (Henderson, A.J., Bactris (Palmae) in Flora Neotropica Monographs 79. 2000)A

Discussion

  • Bactris caudata is diagnosed by its glaucous, linear to ovate, concave pinnae with spinules 1-3 mm long on the margins, 1.5-2 cm long inflorescence rachis, 5-10 cm long rachillae, and orange fruits without endocarp fibers. Synonymy was established by de Nevers et al. (1996).
    A few specimens, (Costa Rica. Heredia: Finca La Selva, RIO Puerto Viejo just E of its jct. with Rio Sarapiquí, ca.100 m, 30 Aug 1980, Hammel 9632 (DUKE); 29 June 1995, Mowbray & Wilbur 1583 (DUKE); 15 Jul 1995, Mowbray & Wilbur 1702 (DUKE); Zona Protectora, between Rio Guacimo and Rio Peje, ca. 250-400 m, 23 Jul 1984, Jacobs & Grayum 2959 (DUKE) resemble Bactris caudata but have larger fruits (1.5-2 cm diameter) and these have endocarp fibers with juice sacs attached. These specimens have been annotated as hybrids between B. caudata and B. coloradonis. (Henderson, A.J., Bactris (Palmae) in Flora Neotropica Monographs 79. 2000)A

Description

  • Stems solitary or cespitose, 1-5 m tall, 2-2.4 cm diam., spiny or not spiny on the internodes.
    Leaves 5-8; leaf spines scattered, black, terete, to 6.5 cm long, on sheath, petiole, and rachis; sheath 41-67 cm long; ocrea not seen; petiole 40-54 cm long; rachis to 98 cm long; pinnae 19-26 perside, irregularly arranged in clusters, spreading in different planes, linear to ovate, concave, smooth to plicate with veins prominent adaxially, long-acuminate, glaucous, dark green adaxially, paler abaxially, glabrous, with forward-or backward-pointing spinules 1-3 mm long on the margins; middle pinnae (21-)40-50 x 2.5-5 cm (apical one wider, narrowly obovate).
    lnflorescences interfoliar, compact; peduncle to 11 cm long, strongly recurved, sparsely to densely spiny; prophyll 5.5-8.5 cm long, 2-2.5 cm wide; peduncular bract 16-36 cm long, sparsely to densely covered with black spines; rachis 1.5-2 cm long; rachillae 18-31, 5-10 cm long, closely spaced, at anthesis densely covered with moniliform trichomes; triads irregularly arranged among paired or solitary staminate flowers; staminate flowers not seen; pistillate flowers to 3.5 mm long; calyx cupular, 0.5 mm long; corolla tubular, 2.5-3 mm long; staminodes minute or absent; fruits 0.9-1.3 x 1-1.2 cm, borne in a tight bunch, obovoid, prominently and bluntly rostrate, orange-red, endocarp turbinate, pitted apically, the sterile pores slightly displaced longitudinally; endocarp fibers lacking; fruiting perianth with minute calyx and truncate to crenate corolla, without staminodial ring. (Henderson, A.J., Bactris (Palmae) in Flora Neotropica Monographs 79. 2000)A

Bibliography

    A. Henderson, A.J., Bactris (Palmae) in Flora Neotropica Monographs 79. 2000
    B. World Checklist of Arecaceae