Bactris faucium

Bactris faucium
Preserved specimen of Bactris faucium, consisting of flat brown leaves and round brown fruits
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Arecales
Family: Arecaceae
Genus: Bactris
Species:
B. faucium
Binomial name
Bactris faucium

Bactris faucium is a species of flowering plant in the family Arecaceae. It is a shrub with spiny leaves and purple or black fruits. The species is native to Bolivia.

Bactris faucium was described in 1844, and is listed as Endangered by the IUCN.

Taxonomy

The species was described by Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius in 1844.

Distribution

Bactris faucium is native to the wet tropical biome of Bolivia (Cochabamba, La Paz, and Santa Cruz). The species grows at elevations of 250–630 metres (820–2,070 ft). Its extent of occurrence is around 86,214 square kilometres (33,287 sq mi).

Bactris faucium is adapted to shaded areas.

Description

Bactris faucium is a shrub. The stems are 2–3 metres (6.6–9.8 ft) tall, and 0.8–1.5 centimetres (0.31–0.59 in) wide.

The plant has five to ten leaves. The leaves have scattered dark brown spines that are up to 6 centimetres (2.4 in) long. The leaves are simple, or have two to fifteen pinnae on each side. The leaf stems are 17–25 centimetres (6.7–9.8 in) long.

The inflorescence stem is straight 2–4.5 centimetres (0.79–1.77 in) long. The male flowers are up to 6.5 millimetres (0.26 in) long, and have sepal lobes that are up to 1 millimetre (0.039 in) long. The male flowers have six stamens. The female flowers are 3.5–4 millimetres (0.14–0.16 in) long, and have a spiny, tube-shaped calyx that is up to 3.5 millimetres (0.14 in) long. The corolla of female flowers is spiny, tube-shaped, and up to 4 millimetres (0.16 in) long.

The fruits are globose to obovoid, up to 2 centimetres (0.79 in) wide, and purple or black. The mesocarp is juicy.

Conservation

In 2023, the IUCN assessed Bactris faucium as Endangered. It is threatened by habitat fragmentation and road construction.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Moraes, M. (2024). "Caqui". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2024 e.T223516933A223518394. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-1.RLTS.T223516933A223518394.en. Retrieved 2026-11-07.
  2. ↑ "Bactris faucium Mart". International Plant Names Index (IPNI). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries; Australian National Botanic Gardens.
  3. 1 2 3 "Bactris faucium". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2026-11-07.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Bactris faucium Mart". WorldFloraOnline.org. World Flora Online. Retrieved 7 November 2026.