Oenocarpus bataua subsp. oligocarpa (Mart., Griseb. & H.Wendl.) Burret & Balick

Authority

Mori, S. A., et al. 1997. Guide to the vascular plants of central French Guiana: Part 1. Pteridophytes, gymnosperms, and monocotyledons. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 76: 1-422.

Family

Arecaceae

Scientific Name

Oenocarpus bataua subsp. oligocarpa (Mart., Griseb. & H.Wendl.) Burret & Balick

Description

Species Description - Tall, single-stemmed, canopy plants, with smooth, columnar trunk, the trunk often dark purplish brown at apex, to 20 m X 15-30 cm, the internodes 10-65 cm long. Leaves 8-16, erect or obliquely oriented, usually arching; sheath 0.6-1.4 m long, purplish-brown adaxially, green abaxially, very fibrous at margins, with ligule 20-35 cm long; petiole 20-100 cm long, green, canaliculate above, rounded below; rachis 3-8 m long, bearing 65-108 pinnae inserted in single plane at regular intervals on each side; pinnae 15-200 x 2- 14 cm, arching, linear-lanceolate, the widest ones in middle of blade, the blade whitish-waxy abaxially. Inflorescences 1-3 per plant; peduncle obliquely erect, green, 5-12 cm long, ±10 cm diam.; prophyll 60-80 cm long, green; peduncular bract 1-2.3 m long, green, smooth, tubular, acuminate; rachis conical, dark green, 20-40 cm long, bearing many (usually >200), pendulous rachillae, these 0.7-1.2 m long, bearing pistillate flowers on lower fourth (or less). Fruits ellipsoid, smooth, glabrous, 1.5-2.7 X 2.5-4 cm, dark purple-black at maturity. Seeds with ruminate endosperm.

Distribution and Ecology - Fl (Jun-Jan), fr (Sep-May); fairly common, mostly on sandy-clay soils on hillsides and in valleys; found only east of Saul at Carbet Mais and Pic Matecho; the fruit is used to make a drink. Patawa.