Bactris ptariana is a species of flowering plant in the family Arecaceae. It is a shrub or tree, with compound leaves, spiny stems, and bright orange fruits.
The species is native to Guyana and Venezuela. It was described in 1951, and is listed as of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Taxonomy The species was described by Julian Alfred Steyermark in 1951.
Distribution Bactris ptariana is native to the wet tropical biome of Guyana and southern Venezuela. It grows at elevations of . The species' estimated area of occurrence is .
Bactris ptariana grows in forests, dwarf forests, or open areas near forest margins. It usually grows on white sand soils.
Description Bactris ptariana is a shrub or tree. The stems are tall, and wide. The stems have spines.
The leaves are compound, and have fifteen to forty-seven segments (pinna) on each side. The pinnae are arranged in irregular clusters. The leaf stems are long.
The male flowers are long, and have six stamens. The female flowers are long. The sepal lobes are around long. The calyx is ring-shaped, and long. The corolla is cup-shaped, and long. The inflorescences are borne among the bases of leaves. The flower stems are long, and spiny.
The fruits are egg-shaped, bright orange or red, long, and wide. They sometimes have minute spines. The mesocarp is starchy. The endocarp is shaped like a spinning top.
Conservation In 2021, the IUCN assessed Bactris ptariana as of Least Concern. It is present in Venezuela's Canaima National Park.
Nomenclature In Spanish, the species is known as .
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