Bactris major

Jacq.

Arecaceae

+ Synonyms

Augustinea balanoidea Oerst.

Augustinea major (Jacq.) H.Karst.

Augustinea ovate Oerst.

Bactris albonotata L.H.Bailey

Bactris augustinea L.H.Bailey

Bactris balanoidea (Oerst.) H.Wendl.

Bactris beata L.H.Bailey

Bactris broadwayi L.H.Bailey

Bactris cateri L.H.Bailey

Bactris chaetorhachis Mart.

Bactris chapadensis Barb.Rodr.

Bactris cruegeriana Griseb.

Bactris curuena (Trail) Trail ex Drude

Bactris demerarana L.H.Bailey

Bactris ellipsoidalis L.H.Bailey

Bactris exaltata Barb.Rodr.

Bactris gaviona (Trail) Trail ex Drude

Bactris infesta Mart.

Bactris leucacantha Linden ex H.Wendl.

Bactris mattogrossensis Barb.Rodr.

Bactris minax Miq.

Bactris nemorosa Barb.Rodr.

Bactris obovoidea L.H.Bailey

Bactris ottostaffeana Barb.Rodr.

Bactris ovata (Oerst.) H.Wendl.

Bactris ovata Stokes

Bactris planifolia L.H.Bailey

Bactris pyrenoglyphoides A.D.Hawkes

Bactris socialis Mart.

Bactris subglobosa H.Wendl. Ex Kerch.

Bactris superior L.H.Bailey

Bactris swabeyi L.H.Bailey

Pyrenoglyphis balanoidea (Oerst.) H.Karst.

Pyrenoglyphis chaetorhachis (Mart.) Burret

Pyrenoglyphis chapadensis (Barb.Rodr.) Burret

Pyrenoglyphis cruegeriana (Griseb.) Burret

Pyrenoglyphis curuena (Trail) Burret

Pyrenoglyphis exaltata (Barb.Rodr.) Burret

Pyrenoglyphis gaviona (Trail) Burret

Pyrenoglyphis hoppii Burret

Pyrenoglyphis infesta (Mart.) Burret

Pyrenoglyphis leucacantha (Linden ex H.Wendl.) Burret

Pyrenoglyphis major (Jacq.) H.Karst.

Pyrenoglyphis mattogrossensis (Barb.Rodr.) Burret

Pyrenoglyphis nemorosa (Barb.Rodr.) Burret

Pyrenoglyphis ottostapfeana (Barb.Rodr.) Burret

Pyrenoglyphis ovate (Oerst.) H.Karst.

Pyrenoglyphis socialis (Mart.) Burret

Pyrenoglyphis superior (L.H.Bailey) Burret

Common Name: Beach Palm

Ripening fruits
Photograph by: Reinaldo Aguilar

General Information

Bactris major is a very spiny, multi-stemmed, evergreen shrub growing 3 - 6 metres tall. The plants produce clumps of unbranched stems and form dense, impenetrable stands of pole-like trunks topped by 3 - 10 leaves[

510

Title: Trees of Costa Rica's Pacific Slope
Publication
Author
Website: http://www.cds.ed.cr/teachers/harmon/page1.html
Publisher
Year: 0
ISBN
Description: Information on over 80 species of tree from the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

768

Title: Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas
Publication
Author: Henderson A.; Galeano G.; Bernal R.
Publisher: Princeton University Press; Princeton, New Jersey.
Year: 1995
ISBN: 0-691-08537-4
Description: An excellent book, giving basic information on all the 550 species of palms native to the Americas that were known in 1995. Comprehensive information on the plants range and habitat, brief description, some uses and almost 250 photos.

].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for its fruit and wood, which are used locally. It is also sometimes grown as a hedge.

Known Hazards

Almost every part of the plant is covered by long, extremely sharp spines that are capable of piercing the skin on contact[

510

Title: Trees of Costa Rica's Pacific Slope
Publication
Author
Website: http://www.cds.ed.cr/teachers/harmon/page1.html
Publisher
Year: 0
ISBN
Description: Information on over 80 species of tree from the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

Botanical References

768

Title: Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas
Publication
Author: Henderson A.; Galeano G.; Bernal R.
Publisher: Princeton University Press; Princeton, New Jersey.
Year: 1995
ISBN: 0-691-08537-4
Description: An excellent book, giving basic information on all the 550 species of palms native to the Americas that were known in 1995. Comprehensive information on the plants range and habitat, brief description, some uses and almost 250 photos.

Range

S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; Caribbean - Trinidad; C. America - Panama to Mexico.

Habitat

Very wet, even inundated soils[

510

Title: Trees of Costa Rica's Pacific Slope
Publication
Author
Website: http://www.cds.ed.cr/teachers/harmon/page1.html
Publisher
Year: 0
ISBN
Description: Information on over 80 species of tree from the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	5.00 m
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a warm, sheltered, moist position[

314

Title: Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia.
Publication
Author
Website: http://www.pacsoa.org.au/
Publisher
Year: 0
ISBN
Description: Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website.

].
The plant flowers all year round, the fruit being produced for much of the year with a pronounced period of peak harvest[

510

Title: Trees of Costa Rica's Pacific Slope
Publication
Author
Website: http://www.cds.ed.cr/teachers/harmon/page1.html
Publisher
Year: 0
ISBN
Description: Information on over 80 species of tree from the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

Edible Uses

Fruit. Sweet and juicy[

510

Title: Trees of Costa Rica's Pacific Slope
Publication
Author
Website: http://www.cds.ed.cr/teachers/harmon/page1.html
Publisher
Year: 0
ISBN
Description: Information on over 80 species of tree from the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

]. The pale green or tan, spherical fruits are about 35mm in diameter. Each has a thin, woody outer rind and a sweet, juicy layer of pulp underneath. A single large seed occupies the core[

510

Title: Trees of Costa Rica's Pacific Slope
Publication
Author
Website: http://www.cds.ed.cr/teachers/harmon/page1.html
Publisher
Year: 0
ISBN
Description: Information on over 80 species of tree from the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

].
An alcoholic drink is made from the fruit[

314

Title: Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia.
Publication
Author
Website: http://www.pacsoa.org.au/
Publisher
Year: 0
ISBN
Description: Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website.

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The shrubs are planted to form impenetrable hedges[

317

Title: Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
Author
Website: http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
Year: 0
ISBN
Description: Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.

Other Uses

The stems are made of a rather brittle, easily-split wood that has been used to make partitions between rooms[

510

Title: Trees of Costa Rica's Pacific Slope
Publication
Author
Website: http://www.cds.ed.cr/teachers/harmon/page1.html
Publisher
Year: 0
ISBN
Description: Information on over 80 species of tree from the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

]. Longitudinally sectioned, the stems are quite uniform and make an effective wall covering[

510

Title: Trees of Costa Rica's Pacific Slope
Publication
Author
Website: http://www.cds.ed.cr/teachers/harmon/page1.html
Publisher
Year: 0
ISBN
Description: Information on over 80 species of tree from the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

Propagation

Seed -

Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-04-16. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Bactris+major>

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