Bactris sphaerocarpa is a species of flowering plant in the family Arecaceae. It is a shrub or palm tree with black prickles, nine to thirteen leaves, and black to purplish fruits. The species is native to Brazil, Colombia, and Peru.
Bactris sphaerocarpa was described in 1877, and is listed as of Least Concern by the IUCN.
Taxonomy The species was described by James W. H. Trail in 1877.
Distribution Bactris sphaerocarpa is native to the wet tropical biome of Colombia (Amazonas), Peru (Loreto and Madre de Dios), and north-west Brazil (Acre and Amazonas). It grows in lowland rainforests, at elevations of .
Description Bactris sphaerocarpa is a shrub or palm tree. The stem is up to high, and wide. The plant has black prickles that are up to long.
The plant has nine to thirteen leaves, which are pinnate, or have smooth edges. There are two to seven pinnae on each side. The leaves are up to long, and wide. The leaf stems are long.
The flower stems are around long, and lack spines. The male flowers are long, and have six stamens. The sepal lobes are long. The female flowers are long. The calyx and corolla are long, and tube-shaped.
The fruits are ovoid, black to purplish, up to long, and up to wide. The epicarp is smooth, the mesocarp is juicy, and the endocarp is turbinate.
Uses Bactris sphaerocarpa is used for food.
Conservation In 2022, the IUCN assessed Bactris sphaerocarpa as of Least Concern.
Nomenclature In Portuguese, the species is known as or . In Spanish, the species is known as .
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