Butia is a genus of palms in the family Arecaceae, native to the South American countries of Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families Many species produce edible fruits, which are sometimes used to make alcoholic beverages and other foods. The name is derived from a Brazilian vernacular word for members of the genus.
Description These are 'feather palms', having pinnate leaves up to 3m long including petiole which usually have a distinct downward arch. The species vary from nearly stemless plants rarely exceeding 40 cm tall (e.g. Butia campicola) to small trees up to 12m tall (e.g. B. yatay).
Butia odorata is notable as one of the hardiest feather palms, tolerating temperatures down to about −10 °C; it is widely cultivated in warm temperate to subtropical regions.
Species Accepted species:
Image Scientific name Distribution Butia archeri Goiás, Brasília, Minas Gerais, São Paulo Butia arenicola Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraguay Butia campicola Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraguay Butia capitata Minas Gerais, Goiás, Bahia Butia catarinensis Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina Butia eriospatha – Woolly butia palm Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina Butia exilata Rio Grande do Sul Butia exospadix Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraguay Butia lallemantii Rio Grande do Sul, Uruguay Butia lepidotispatha Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraguay Butia leptospatha Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraguay Butia marmorii Alto Paraná in ParaguayButia matogrossensis Mato Grosso do Sul Butia microspadix Paraná, São Paulo Butia odorata – South American jelly palm, jelly palm, pindo palm Rio Grande do Sul, Uruguay Butia paraguayensis – Dwarf yatay palm Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay Butia pubispatha Paraná Butia purpurascens Goiás, Minas Gerais Butia witeckii Rio Grande do Sul Butia yatay – Jelly palm, yatay palm Rio Grande do Sul, Uruguay, Argentina
No longer accepted species: Butia missionera Deble & Marchiori - Rio Grande do Sul Butia noblickii Deble - Corrientes Province of Argentina Butia quaraimana Deble & Marchiori - Rio Grande do Sul Butia stolonifera (Barb.Rodr.) Becc. - Uruguay
New species: Butia poni (Haum.) Burret - Misiones Province of Argentina Butia sp. nov. - Mato Grosso do Sul
Intergeneric hybrids × Butyagrus alegretensis K. Soares (B. lallemantii × Syagrus romanzoffiana) × Butyagrus nabonnandii (Prosch.) Vorster (B. odorata × S. romanzoffiana) x Butyagrus eriospatha N. Kembry (B. eriospatha x S. romanzoffiana 'Santa Catarina')
References
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew palm checklist: Butia PACSOA: Butia