Geonoma baculifera (Poit.) Kunth

  • 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

    Geonoma baculifera (Poit.) Kunth

  • Description

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    Species Description - Small, multi-stemmed plants of understory, the stems 1- 3, 1-3 m X 1.3-2 cm, often prostrate at base, smooth, ringed by prominent leaf scars 2-10 cm apart; suckers with bundle of roots arising from base and from vegetative buds occurring on stem every sixth internode, when longest canes touch ground, new plants produced. Leaves 3-14, basally erect, arching; sheath 15-20 cm long, at first creamy-lepidote and tubular, soon splitting opposite to petiole; petiole 20-30 cm long, green; rachis 45-80 cm long; blade either simple, deeply bifid at apex, and 70-90 X 20-30 cm, or irregularly pinnatisect into few broad pinnae. Inflorescences 1-3 per cane, interfoliar, 1-branched, ± drooping when fruiting; peduncle 17-35 cm long, curved; prophyll and peduncular bract ± equal in size, 15-30 cm long, tubular, subchartaceous, persistent; rachis 2-10 cm long, bearing 4-7 rachillae, these 10- 20 cm long, slightly curved, green at anthesis, orange to bright red when bearing fruits. Fruits ovoid to ellipsoid, 10- 13 X 8-10 mm, black at maturity.

    Distribution and Ecology - Fl, fr (year round); in dense, clonal populations in swamp forests. Wai, wai-cochon.