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Useful Tropical Plants

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

Bactris major
Ripening fruits
Photograph by: Reinaldo Aguilar
Creative Commons License
Bactris major Bactris major Bactris major Bactris major Bactris major Bactris major Bactris major Bactris major

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 *  *
HabitEvergreen Shrub
Height5.00 m
PollinatorsBees
Cultivation StatusCultivated, 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. 2024-12-12. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Bactris+major>

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