Bacaba
Oenocarpus mapora
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
A clumping palm. It can have 12 slender trunks in one clump. These can be 10-20 m tall. The trunks are 15 cm across. The trunks are spiny. There is a false crown-shaft which is like a narrow upside-down pyramid. It is 1 m long. The fronds are dark green above and silvery underneath and arching. They can be 1.3-5 m long on leafstalks 30-100 cm long. The leaflets droop. They are 60-100 cm long and regularly spaced. The new shoots are red. The flowering stalk is like a horse's tail. The flowers are creamy white. The fruit are mauve to purple. They are the size and shape or olives. They are 2.5 cm long.
There are 9 Oenocarpus species.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It suits the tropics and the subtropics. In South America it grows in rainforests at low altitude. It occasionally grows to 1,000 m altitude. It is often found in swamps.
Countries/locations it is found in
Amazon, Asia, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Central America (country/location of origin), Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Indonesia, Panama, Peru, SE Asia, South America, Venezuela
How it is used for food
The fruit are used to make drinks. The fruit are slightly cooked before eating. The seeds are edible. The terminal bud is used as a cabbage.
Fruit are sold in local markets.
Edible parts
Fruit, cabbage, palm heart, nuts, fruit - oil, seeds
How it is grown
Plants are grown from seed. It can be grown from suckers. It is useful for producing edible shoots or cabbage as the harvested shoots are replaced by new suckers.
Its other names
Local names
Bacabai, Bacabilla, Bacabinha, Bi bosa ni, Ciame, Cimba, Cinamillo, Dompedrito, Jejhue isa, Jora, Majillo, Manqueque, Mapora, Maquenque, Milpesillo, Pusuy, Quebo itsama, Shimpi, Shinpi, Sinamillo, Turu palm, Uyaachi
Synonyms
Oenocarpus dryanderae Burret; Oenocarpus macrocalyx Burret; Oenocarpus mapora subsp. dryandrae (Burret)Balick; Oenocarpus mapora subsp. mapora Balick; Oenocarpus multicaulis Spruce; Oenocarpus panamanus L.H.Bailey;