Bactris elegans Barb.Rodr.
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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.
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Family
Arecaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Small, multi-stemmed plants of understory, 1.5-4 m X 1-2 cm, with 2-30 (or more) slender stems, forming a clump with basal shoots; internodes 2-15 cm long, armed under each leaf scar with rings of black spines 2-3 cm long. Leaves 4-10, spreading; sheath 15 cm long, fibrous, brownish gray, ± armed with brown or black spines 0.5-2 cm long; petiole 15-20 cm long, green to grayish-brown tomentose, bearing erect, yellowish to black spines to 4 cm long; rachis 30-80 cm long, dark brown, velvety pubescent, prickly at base; blade pinnate, with 15-20 pinnae per side; pinnae sigmoid, oblanceolate, asymmetric and bifid at apex, 10-25 X 1-3 cm, all in single plane, either all at regular intervals or distributed in few groups but regularly spaced in each group; segments of apical pair often wider and deeply toothed at tip. Inflorescence single, interfoliar, usually bifid, erect and arching at anthesis, pendulous when fruiting; peduncle 15-25 cm long; prophyll 10-15 cm long, flattened; peduncular bract 25-40 cm long, straight, fusiform, grayish or reddish-brown tomentose, with numerous black prickles 0.2-1.5 cm long; rachillae 1-3, 10-15 cm long, slender. Fruit globose, glabrous, 15 mm diam., green, then white, and finally purplish black at maturity.
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Distribution
Fl, fr (year round); mostly on slopes in half shade, very rare in vicinity of Saul, collected only once near Eaux Claires.
French Guiana South America|