Astrocaryum
Encyclopedia
Astrocaryum is a genus
of about 36 to 40 species of palm
s native to Central
and South America
and Trinidad
.
palms with pinnate
ly compound leaves–rows of leaflets emerge on either side of the axis of the leaf in a feather-like or fern-like pattern. Some species are single-stemmed, while others grow in multi-stemmed (caespitose) clumps. They are pleonanthic—they flower repeatedly over the course of their lifespan—and monoecious
, meaning that there are separate male and female flowers, but individuals plants bear both types of flowers.
in Guyana
.
The best-known member of the genus is Astrocaryum vulgare
, typical in the Pará
state of Brazil
.
Astrocaryum mexicanum is a common palm of the Caribbean
coast of Central America. In Belize
it is known as the warree cohune as its spines are said to resemble the bristles of the white-lipped peccary
or warree (cohune is the name of a different palm).
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of about 36 to 40 species of palm
Arecaceae
Arecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...
s native to Central
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
.
Description
Astrocaryum is a genus of spinyThorns, spines, and prickles
In botanical morphology, thorns, spines, and prickles are hard structures with sharp, or at least pointed, ends. In spite of this common feature, they differ in their growth and development on the plant; they are modified versions of different plant organs, stems, stipules, leaf veins, or hairs...
palms with pinnate
Pinnate
Pinnate is a term used to describe feather-like or multi-divided features arising from both sides of a common axis in plant or animal structures, and comes from the Latin word pinna meaning "feather", "wing", or "fin". A similar term is pectinate, which refers to a comb-like arrangement of parts...
ly compound leaves–rows of leaflets emerge on either side of the axis of the leaf in a feather-like or fern-like pattern. Some species are single-stemmed, while others grow in multi-stemmed (caespitose) clumps. They are pleonanthic—they flower repeatedly over the course of their lifespan—and monoecious
Plant sexuality
Plant sexuality covers the wide variety of sexual reproduction systems found across the plant kingdom. This article describes morphological aspects of sexual reproduction of plants....
, meaning that there are separate male and female flowers, but individuals plants bear both types of flowers.
History
The type species, Astrocaryum aculeatum, was first described by German botanist Georg Friedrich Wilhelm Meyer in 1818 based on a specimen from the Essequibo RiverEssequibo River
The Esequibo River is the largest river in Guyana, and the largest river between the Orinoco and Amazon. Rising in the Acarai Mountains near the Brazil-Guyana border, the Essequibo flows to the north for 1,010 km through forest and savanna into the Atlantic Ocean.-Geography:There are countless...
in Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
.
Species
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Astrocaryum jauari Astrocaryum jauari is the most frequently encountered palm native to Amazon Rainforest vegetation in the floodplains of the Rio Negro, in Brazil. Its fruits are edible. This plant has further commercial value because it may be used in the production of heart of palm.-External links:... Mart. Astrocaryum minus Astrocaryum minus is a species of flowering plant in the Arecaceae family.It is found in Brazil and French Guiana.It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:* de Granville, J.J 1998. . Downloaded on 20 July 2007.... Trail Astrocaryum murumuru Astrocaryum murumuru is a palm native to Amazon Rainforest vegetation in Brazil, which bears edible fruits. Murumuru butter, extracted from the seeds of the plant, may be used as a moisturizer.-External links:... Mart. Astrocaryum triandrum Astrocaryum triandrum is a species of flowering plant in the Arecaceae family.It is found only in Colombia.It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:* Bernal, R. 1998. . Downloaded on 20 July 2007.... Galeano-Garces, R.Bernal Rodrigo Bernal Rodrigo Bernal González is a Colombian botanist who specialises in the palm family. Bernal is a faculty member at the Institute of Natural Sciences, National University of Colombia. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Aarhus in 1996.Bernal has published over sixty works on palm... & F.Kahn Astrocaryum urostachys Astrocaryum urostachys is a species of flowering plant in the Arecaceae family.It is found only in Ecuador.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:... Burret Astrocaryum vulgare Astrocaryum vulgare is a palm native to Amazon Rainforest vegetation, typical of the Pará state in Brazil. This plant has edible fruit, which are also used for biodiesel production... Mart. |
The best-known member of the genus is Astrocaryum vulgare
Astrocaryum vulgare
Astrocaryum vulgare is a palm native to Amazon Rainforest vegetation, typical of the Pará state in Brazil. This plant has edible fruit, which are also used for biodiesel production...
, typical in the Pará
Pará
Pará is a state in the north of Brazil. It borders the Brazilian states of Amapá, Maranhão, Tocantins, Mato Grosso, Amazonas and Roraima. To the northwest it also borders Guyana and Suriname, and to the northeast it borders the Atlantic Ocean. The capital is Belém.Pará is the most populous state...
state of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
Astrocaryum mexicanum is a common palm of the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
coast of Central America. In Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
it is known as the warree cohune as its spines are said to resemble the bristles of the white-lipped peccary
White-lipped Peccary
The White-lipped Peccary, Tayassu pecari, is a peccary species found in Central and South America, living in rainforest, dry forest and chaco scrub. It is monotypic within the genus Tayassu....
or warree (cohune is the name of a different palm).