Bactris infesta Mart. Pyrenoglyphis infesta (Mart.) Burret Bactris exaltata Barb.Rodr. Bactris nemorosa Barb.Rodr. Bactris socialis subsp. curuena Trail Bactris socialis subsp. gaviona Trail Bactris curuena (Trail) Trail ex Drude Bactris gaviona (Trail) Trail ex Drude Bactris chapadensis Barb.Rodr. Bactris major var. mattogrossensis Kuntze Bactris mattogrossensis Barb.Rodr. Pyrenoglyphis chapadensis (Barb.Rodr.) Burret Pyrenoglyphis curuena (Trail) Burret Pyrenoglyphis exaltata (Barb.Rodr.) Burret Pyrenoglyphis gaviona (Trail) Burret Pyrenoglyphis mattogrossensis (Barb.Rodr.) Burret Pyrenoglyphis nemorosa (Barb.Rodr.) Burret
(of Bactris major var. infesta)[3]
Bactris socialis Mart. Pyrenoglyphis socialis (Mart.) Burret
(of Bactris major var. socialis)[4]
Bactris major is a small to medium-sized (1–10 m tall) spinypalm which ranges from Mexico, through Central America into northern South America and Trinidad.[5][1] The species is divided into three[1] or four[5] varieties, although the boundaries between varieties is not always clearly defined.[5]
The fruits are eaten or used to flavour drinks.[5]
Spanish names for the palm species include marayaú.
Andrew Henderson and co-authors recognised a fourth variety, Bactris major var. megalocarpa (Trail ex Thurn) A.J.Hend.,[5] but Govaerts considered this to be a synonym of Bactris major var. major.[6]