Bactris longiseta

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Bactris (BAHK-triss)
longiseta (lohn-jih-SEH-tah)
Bl0017122.JPG
Costa Rica. Photo-quazoo.com
Scientific Classification
Genus: Bactris (BAHK-triss)
Species:
longiseta (lohn-jih-SEH-tah)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
America
America.gif
Morphology
Habit: Clustering, usually caespitose.
Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Costa Rica: huiscoyol.

Habitat and Distribution

Costa Rica (Alajuela, Heredia, Limón). Lowland rain forest, at 100-750 m elevation.

Costa Rica. Photo-acguanacaste.ac.cr

Description

Stems cespitose, forming dense to loose clumps, 3-4.5 m tall, 2-2.5 cm in diam., spiny on internodes. Leaves 6-7 per crown; leaf spines black, terete, to 2 (-6.5) cm long, dense or sparse on sheath, mostly absent or occasionally scattered on petiole and rachis; sheath 30-41 cm long; ocrea not seen; petiole 37-85 cm long; rachis to 135 cm long; pinnae 15-29 per side, regularly or irregularly arranged in distinct clusters, spreading in slightly different planes, linear to elliptical, caudate, with spines 1-2 cm long on the margins, rarely lacking spines; middle pinnae 30-72 x 3.5-7 cm. Inflorescences interfoliar; peduncle about 10 cm long, strongly recurved, spinulose; prophyll 7.5-15 cm long; peduncular bract 23-30 cm long, densely covered with erect, black or brown spines to 1 cm long; rachis 1.5-3 cm long; rachillae 20-30, 4.5-11 cm long, at anthesis densely covered with brownish or whitish trichomes and moniliform trichomes; triads irregularly arranged among paired or solitary staminate flowers; staminate flowers 3.5-5 mm long, more or less persistent after anthesis; sepal lobes 1-1.5 mm long; petals 3.5-5 mm long; stamens 6; pistillode absent; pistillate flowers to 5 mm long; calyx cupular, 1.5-3 mm long; corolla tubular, 4 mm long; staminodes absent; fruits 1.5-1.6 x 1.3-1.6 cm, obovoid, rostrate, purple; mesocarp juicy; endocarp turbinate, pitted at apex, the sterile pores slightly displaced longitudinally; endocarp fibers numerous, with juice sacs attached; fruiting perianth with small calyx and crenate corolla, without staminodial ring. (Henderson, A.J., Bactris (Palmae) in Flora Neotropica Monographs 79. 2000)/Palmweb. editing by edric.

Bactris longiseta is diagnosed by its linear to elliptic, caudate pinnae, obovoid, purple fruits, and numerous endocarp fibers with juice sacs attached. It is a somewhat problematic species. The only specimen examined with fruits, Holdridge 5118, has purple fruits and endocarp fibers with juice sacs attached. Otherwise, the species is close to B. caudata. I have retained it in this monograph following de Nevers et al. (1996). I suspect, however, that it is a member of the Central American orange-fruited group but more collections are needed to solve this problem. (Henderson, A.J., Bactris (Palmae) in Flora Neotropica Monographs 79. 2000)/Palmweb.

Culture

Cold Hardiness Zone: 10a

Comments and Curiosities

Conservation: Vulnerable; The species is scarce and threatened by habitat destruction and disturbance. (IUCN Red List)



External Links

References

Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.

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

Special thanks to Palmweb.org, Dr. John Dransfield, Dr. Bill Baker & team, for their volumes of information and photos.

Glossary of Palm Terms; Based on the glossary in Dransfield, J., N.W. Uhl, C.B. Asmussen-Lange, W.J. Baker, M.M. Harley & C.E. Lewis. 2008. Genera Palmarum - Evolution and Classification of the Palms. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. All images copyright of the artists and photographers (see images for credits).

Henderson, A.J., Bactris (Palmae) in Flora Neotropica Monographs 79. 2000


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

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