Acrocomia

Acrocomia
Acrocomia aculeata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Arecales
Family: Arecaceae
Subfamily: Arecoideae
Tribe: Cocoseae
Genus: Acrocomia
Mart.
Synonyms[1]
  • Gastrococos Morales
  • Acanthococos Barb.Rodr.

Acrocomia is a genus of palms which is native to the Neotropics, ranging from Mexico in the north, through Central America and the Caribbean, and through South America south to Argentina.[1][2]

Description

Acrocomia is a genus of spiny, pinnate-leaved palms which range from large trees to small palms with short, subterranean stems.[3]

The species bears branched inflorescences which are located among the leaves. The flowers are unisexual; female flowers are born near the base of the inflorescence, while male flowers are borne towards the tips. Fruits are large, single-seeded, and vary in colour from yellow, to orange, to brown.[3]

Acrocomia is considered to be at an early phase of development as an alternative and multipurpose crop.[4]

Acrocomia aculeata immature fruits.

Species

References

  • Media related to Acrocomia at Wikimedia Commons
  1. ^ a b Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  2. ^ Govaerts, R. & Dransfield, J. (2005). World Checklist of Palms: 1-223. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  3. ^ a b Henderson, Andrew; Gloria Galeano; Rodrigo Bernal (1995). Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. pp. 45–50. ISBN 0-691-08537-4.
  4. ^ Ricardo Vargas‑Carpintero, Thomas Hilger, Johannes Mössinger, Roney Fraga Souza, Juan Carlos Barroso Armas, Karen Tiede andIris Lewandowski Acrocomia spp.: neglected crop, ballyhooed multipurpose palm or fit for the bioeconomy? A review, Agronomy for Sustainable Development(2021) 41:75 https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-021-00729-5
  5. ^ Flores-Johnson, E.A. (2018-06-25). "Microstructure and mechanical properties of hard Acrocomia mexicana fruit shel". Scientific Reports. 8 (1): 9668. Bibcode:2018NatSR...8.9668F. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-27282-8. PMC 6018112. PMID 29941916.
  6. ^ Canteiro, C. (2021). "Acrocomia totai". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T111452251A161420865. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T111452251A161420865.en. Retrieved 27 October 2022.