Bactris maraja is a species of flowering plant in the family Arecaceae. It is native to South America, and was described in 1826.
Bactris maraja is a shrub or understorey palm, with compound leaves and edible fruits. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the species as of Least Concern.
Taxonomy The species was first described by Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius in 1826.
Four varieties are recognised: Bactris maraja var. chaetospatha - Native to northern Brazil, Colombia, and Peru Bactris maraja var. juruensis - Native to Bolivia, northern Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. May be present in French Guiana Bactris maraja var. maraja - Native to Bolivia, northern and west central Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guyana, Panamá, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela Bactris maraja var. trichospatha - Native to Bolivia, northern Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela
Distribution Bactris maraja is native to the wet tropical biome of South America. It is present in Bolivia, northern and west-central Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. It is found at elevations of .
The species grows in various types of forests. It usually grows on non-inundated soils, but can also be found in waterlogged soil near streams.
Description Bactris maraja is a shrub or tree. It is an understory palm. The stems are in clusters of up to fifteen. The stems are tall, and wide.
The leaves are compound, and have seventeen to thirty pinnae on each side. The leaf spines are flattened, long, and yellowish, turning black at the base and apex. The leaf stems are long.
The flower stems are long. The male flowers are around long. The female flowers are long.
The petals are long, and form a tubular corolla. The sepals are long. The calyx is a tube. Bactris maraja flowers in January and February.
The fruits are smooth, round, purple to black, and up to in diameter. The mesocarp is juicy. Bactris maraja fruits from March to December.
Conservation In 2022, the IUCN assessed Bactris maraja as of Least Concern. The population is large, stable, and faces no major threats.
Uses The fruits are used for human food. The species is also used for animal food, medicine, and fuel.
Nomenclature In French, the species is known as . In Portuguese, the species is known as . In Spanish, the species is known as or . In Sranan Tongo, the species is known as .
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