Bactris dianeura Burret, Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 34: 217 (1934)

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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
Nicaragua (Matagalpa), Costa Rica (Alajuela, Cartago, Heredia, Limón, Puntarenas, San Jose), and Panama (ChiriquI, Veraguas).Premontane rain forest between 600 and 1650 m elevation. (Henderson, A.J., Bactris (Palmae) in Flora Neotropica Monographs 79. 2000)A

Discussion

  • Bactris dianeura is diagnosed by its cross-veined pinnae, 7-17 rachillae 4.3-11 cm long, and subglobose or usually obovoid, prominently rostrate, bright orange fruits, 1.2-1.8 x 1.2-1.7 cm. It is a member of a group of similar species confined to Central America and the Pacific coast of Colombia and Ecuador. De Nevers et al. (1996) considered that this species was close to B. mexicana. In some characters (the brownish leaf spines and prominent cross-veins of the leaves) it appears closer to B. hondurensis. See de Nevers et al. (1996) for a discussion of the application of the name of this species. (Henderson, A.J., Bactris (Palmae) in Flora Neotropica Monographs 79. 2000)A

Description

  • Stems cespitose, forming small clumps of 2-8 stems, 2-5(-10) m tall, 1-3 cm diam., spiny on internodes.
    Leaves 5-7; leaf spines scattered, black or brown (sometimes reddish) and then darker at apex, terete or sometimes somewhat flattened, to 6.5 cm long, on sheath, lateral surfaces of petiole, and abaxial surface or rachis; sheath 17-45 or more cm long, sheath, petiole, and rachis whitish or brownish tomentose, spinulose; ocrea to 8 cm long; petiole 26-80 cm long; rachis 58-90(-125) cm long, with few spines to ca. 7.5 cm long; pinnae 14-20 per side, irregularly arranged in clusters of 2-3, lanceolate to oblanceolate, obscurely to clearly cross-veined, with spinules to ca. 6 mm long on margins; middle pinnae 26-44(-56) x (1.4-)2.7-4.5(-6.3) cm.
    Inflorescences interfoliar; peduncle 6-12.5 cm long, recurved, spiny; prophyll 10-11 cm long; peduncular bract to 26 cm long, densely covered with yellowish brown to black spines to 2 cm long; rachis 1.6-3.4 cm long; rachillae 7-17, 4.3-11 cm long, densely covered at anthesis with moniliform trichomes; triads irregularly arranged among paired or solitary staminate flowers; staminate flowers 3-4 mm long; sepal lobes 1-1.5 mm long; petals 3-4 mm long; stamens 6; pistillode absent; pistillate flowers 3.5-5.5 mm long; calyx cupular, 1-2 mm long; corolla tubular, 3-5 mm long; staminodes 1-3, minute;fruits 1.2-1.8 x 1.2-1.7 cm, subglobose or usually obovoid, prominently rostrate, bright orange; mesocarp starchy; endocarp turbinate, the sterile pores slightly displaced longitudinally; endocarp fibers few or absent; fruiting perianth with minute calyx and longer corolla, irregularly split at apex by enlarging fruit, 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