Bactris major Jacq.

Guis coyol

(Arecaceae)

Espinoza, R., Guadamuz, A., Perez, D., Chavarría, F. and Masís, A. 1998. Bactris major (Arecaceae) Species Page, May 13, 1998. Species Home Pages, Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. http://www.acguanacaste.ac.cr

I. Identification:

Palm from 1-10 m tall and 2- 6 cm in diameter (Henderson et al., 1995).

Flower:

Rachis of the infl. 1­4 cm; rachilla (3­) 5­10 (­17), 14­23 cm long. Masculine fls. from 3-8 mm. long. Femanine fls. from 4­8 mm. long (Grayum 1997).

Fruit:

Immature fruits are brownish white. Mature fruits are brown with an eliptical shape. The pulp of the mature fruit is blackish-purple It is edible and has a tart flavor.

 

Immature fruit

 

Mature fruit

 

Sectioned immature fruit

 

Seeds

Leaves:

The lámina is pinnadamenttly compound and has aproximatly 45-48 leaflets. Spiny rachis.

 

Upper surface of blade

 

Under surface of blade

 

Detail of upper surface

 

Detail of under surface

 

Upper surface of leaflet

 

Under side of leaflet

   

Spines on the rachis

 

Bark and wood:

The shoots are very spiney and aggregate.

Shoot

Transversal cut of shoot

Whole plant architecture:

 

Aspect of the habitat

 

Similar species:

All of the other bactris, but the fruit of most are bigger and are different in color.

Verification:

Old namoes for this species are: Bactris augustinea L. H. Bailey; Bactris balanoidea (Oerst.) H. Wendl.; Pyrenoglyphis balanoidea (Oerst.) H. Karst.; Bactris superior. L. H. Bailey.

II.Geographic distribution:

International:

Watersheds of the Atlantic and Pacific in all of Central America and north of South America (Henderson et al. 1995).

In Costa Rica:

Watersheds of the Atlantic and Pacific, 0-50 (-100) m (Grayum 1997).

In the Area de Conservación Guanacaste:

Lowlands of the Atlantic and Pacific watersheds.

 Map of macro-habitats of the ACG

III. Natural History:

 

IV. How to find:

It is common in the San Emilio Forest of the Santa Rosa Sector and on the road to Playa Naranjo near the estuary.

Acknowledgments.

This project was carried out by the Area de Conservación Guanacaste/CR, with help from INBio/CR, ICBG from the Foggarty center, NIH/USA and NSF/USA.

Literature cited:

Henderson, A., Galeano, G. & Bernal.R. 1998. Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas. Princeton University Press. Princeton, New Jersey.


Grayum, M.H. 1997. Arecaceae. Manual de la Flora de Costa Rica. En preparación.