Oenocarpus
Encyclopedia
Oenocarpus is a genus
of pinnate
-leaved palms
(Arecaceae) native to Trinidad
, southern Central
and tropical South America
. With nine species
and one natural hybrid, the genus is distributed from Costa Rica
and Trinidad in the north to Brazil
and Bolivia
in the south.
Common names in their native range are bacaba in Brazil
, and palma milpesos (or just milpesos) in Spanish-speaking countries. These terms may also refer to the most well-known member of this genus, O. bacaba
, but more precise common names exist for that species.
The fruit of Oenocarpus palms are food for various animals, such as the Green Aracari
(Pteroglossus viridis) for which O. bacaba fruit are a mainstay food. They are also locally eaten by humans, and these palms are also used in folk medicine
. Their wood is useful for handicraft
.
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 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...
-leaved palms
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...
(Arecaceae) native to 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...
, southern 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 tropical 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...
. With nine species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
and one natural hybrid, the genus is distributed from Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
and Trinidad in the north to 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...
and Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
in the south.
Common names in their native range are bacaba in 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...
, and palma milpesos (or just milpesos) in Spanish-speaking countries. These terms may also refer to the most well-known member of this genus, O. bacaba
Oenocarpus bacaba
Oenocarpus bacaba is a palm native to the Amazon Rainforest, which have edible fruits. This plant is cited in Flora Brasiliensis by Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius....
, but more precise common names exist for that species.
The fruit of Oenocarpus palms are food for various animals, such as the Green Aracari
Green Aracari
The Green Aracari, Pteroglossus viridis, is a toucan, a near-passerine bird found in the lowland forests of northeastern South America , in the northeast Amazon Basin, the Guianas and the eastern Orinoco River drainage of Venezuela. At 30-40 cm...
(Pteroglossus viridis) for which O. bacaba fruit are a mainstay food. They are also locally eaten by humans, and these palms are also used in folk medicine
Folk medicine
-Description:Refers to healing practices and ideas of body physiology and health preservation known to a limited segment of the population in a culture, transmitted informally as general knowledge, and practiced or applied by anyone in the culture having prior experience.All cultures and societies...
. Their wood is useful for handicraft
Handicraft
Handicraft, more precisely expressed as artisanic handicraft, sometimes also called artisanry, is a type of work where useful and decorative devices are made completely by hand or by using only simple tools. It is a traditional main sector of craft. Usually the term is applied to traditional means...
.
List of species
The currently-accepted species of Oenocarpus are:- Oenocarpus × andersonii Balick (= O. bacaba × O. minor)
- Oenocarpus bacabaOenocarpus bacabaOenocarpus bacaba is a palm native to the Amazon Rainforest, which have edible fruits. This plant is cited in Flora Brasiliensis by Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius....
– bacaba açu, bacaba-de-leque, bacaba verdadeira (BrazilBrazilBrazil , 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...
), manoco, punáma (ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
), camon (French GuianaFrench GuianaFrench Guiana is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department located on the northern Atlantic coast of South America. It has borders with two nations, Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west...
), ungurauy (PeruPeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
) - Oenocarpus balickii F.Kahn
- Oenocarpus batauaOenocarpus batauaThe patawa, sehe, hungurahua or mingucha is a palm tree native to the Amazonia, that produce eatable fruits rich in high quality oil.- Distribution and habitat:...
Mart. – mingucha- Oenocarpus bataua var. bataua
- Oenocarpus bataua var. oligocarpus (Griseb. & H.Wendl.) A.J.Hend.
- Oenocarpus circumtextusOenocarpus circumtextusOenocarpus circumtextus is a species of flowering plant in the Arecaceae family.It is found only in Colombia.-Source:* Bernal, R. 1998. . Downloaded on 20 July 2007....
- Oenocarpus distichus Mart.
- Oenocarpus makeruOenocarpus makeruOenocarpus makeru is a species of flowering plant in the Arecaceae family.It is found only in Colombia.-Source:* Bernal, R. 1998. . Downloaded on 20 July 2007....
- Oenocarpus mapora H.Karst. (= O. multicaulis, O. panamanus)
- Oenocarpus minor Mart.
- Oenocarpus simplexOenocarpus simplexOenocarpus simplex is a species of flowering plant in the Arecaceae family.It is found only in Colombia.-Source:* Bernal, R. 1998. . Downloaded on 20 July 2007....