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Useful Tropical Plants

Bactris riparia

Mart.

Arecaceae

+ Synonyms

Bactris inundata Mart.

Bactris littoralis Barb.Rodr.

Bactris longifrons Mart.

Common Name:

Bactris riparia
Plant growing near water in Yasuni National Park, Ecuador
Photograph by: William J. Baker
Image credit to Palmweb

General Information

Bactris riparia is a spiny, evergreen palm growing 3 - 10 metres tall. The plant can form a large colony of unbranched stems 5 - 8cm in diameter; each stem being topped by a crown of 4 - 10 leaves[
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 local use of its edible apical bud.

Known Hazards

None known

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.

Habitat

Margins of blackwater (and occasionally whitewater) rivers and lakes, often where its roots are submerged by seasonal floods[
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.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height8.00 m
PollinatorsInsects
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

Leaves - cooked[
763
Title
Heart of Palm Use: A Family Survey
Publication
 
Author
Scott Zona, Ph.D.
Website
http://www.virtualherbarium.org/palmresearch/Hearts_of_Palm_table.html
Publisher
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Virtual Herbarium.
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line article listing the botanical names and range of palm trees that have an edible apical bud.
]. The apical bud, often known as a 'palm heart', is eaten as a vegetable[
763
Title
Heart of Palm Use: A Family Survey
Publication
 
Author
Scott Zona, Ph.D.
Website
http://www.virtualherbarium.org/palmresearch/Hearts_of_Palm_table.html
Publisher
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Virtual Herbarium.
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line article listing the botanical names and range of palm trees that have an edible apical bud.
]. Eating this bud leads to the death of the tree because it is unable to make side shoots[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-10-06. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Bactris+riparia>

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