Bactris mexicana is a species of flowering plant in the family Arecaceae. It is native to Mexico and central America.
Bactris mexicana is a palm tree with spiny stems, compound leaves, and orange, egg-shaped fruits. It was described in 1844, and is considered Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Taxonomy The species was described by Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius in 1844.
Two varieties are recognised: Bactris mexicana var. mexicana - Native to Mexico Bactris mexicana var. trichophylla - native to Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua
Distribution Bactris mexicana is native to the wet tropical biome of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua. It is present in the south-east, south-west, and Gulf regions of Mexico. It grows at elevations of up to . The species' estimated extent of occurrence is .
Bactris mexicana grows on moist and rocky soils, in wet forests, sub-evergreen high forests, and montane rainforests.
Description Bactris mexicana is a palm tree that can grow up to high. The stems are wide, and are usually spiny.
The leaf stems are long. The leaves are compound, and have eight to twenty-nine pinnae. The pinnae are arranged into irregular clusters.
The male flowers are long, and have six stamens. The sepals have lobes. The petals are long. The female flowers are long. The calyx is cup shaped, and up to long. The corolla is tube-shaped, and long.
The fruits are orange, egg-shaped, long, and wide. The mesocarp is powdery. The endocarp is shaped like a spinning top or beetroot, and is pitted on top.
Ecology The plant is eaten by Desmarest's spiny pocket mouse.
Uses Local people use Bactris mexicana to make baskets and furniture.
Conservation In 2021, the IUCN assessed Bactris mexicana as of Least Concern. The population is large and stable. In some parts of its range, the species is affected by deforestation. However, it is tolerant to disturbance.
The species is present in protected areas, including the Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area, the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Pico Bonito National Park, the Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve, the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve, and the Laguna de Términos flora and fauna protection area.
Nomenclature In Spanish, the species is known as , or . In Huastec, the species is known as . In Tzeltal, the species is known as .
References
External links