H. Balslev 62062

Cespitose but only one stem well developed, suckers with entire bifid leaves. Stem ca. 20 cm long, 5 cm diam., subterranean, completely covered with leaf sheaths. Leaves 5, erect, sheath of outer leaf 34 cm long, open to the base, smooth adaxially, abaxially rounded, brown, densely covered with erect slightly flattene(black spines to 6 cm long, sheath clearly distinct from petiole, sheath of inner leaf 42 cm long, closed and fibrous at the top, covered with spines on outer surface. Petiole 58 cm, terete, densely brown tomentose, sparsely covered with up to 6 cm long black spines. Rachis 133 cm long, rounded below, ridged above, densely brown tomentose below sparsely, spiny below, green above. Pinnae 24 per side, inserted singly or in groups of 2 – 4 at different angles to the rachis, lanceolate acuminate, with minute spines on margins otherwise smooth, all pinnae equally wide, lower pinna 29 x 2 cm, middle pinna 45 x 4 cm, upper pinna 17 x 5. Inflorescence interfoliar, arching, almost hidden among litter on the ground. Peduncle 15 cm long, rounded, creamy white smooth where it is covered in the bracts (basally), brown with 2 mm long fine spines where not covered (apically). Prophyll 14 cm long, 5 cm wide, fibrous at the apex, whitish brown at base. Peduncular bract 32 cm long, sheathing the peduncle for 10 cm, then widely opened to 9 cm wide, creamy white inside, greenish brown and densely covered with brown spines to 1 cm long. Rachis 12 cm long, non spiny, brown, tomentose. Rachillae 46, 8 – 9 cm long, creamy white. Flowers creamy white. Pistillate flowers scattered. Use: Fruits used for necklaces (fruits are red on outside, black inside). Fruits eaten by Tayassu tajacu & T. peccari (porks) “Sajino de collar blanco”, = “Huangana”. Fruits also eaten by “Guatusa” (Dasyprocta aguti).

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