Maraja palm, Cubarro palm
Bactris major

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A palm. It has a cluster of stems. They often form large dense clumps. They are spiny. They grow 1-10 m tall and the stems are 2-6 cm across. There are 3-10 leaves on each stem and they have leaflets along the stalks and are spiny. There are short and long black spines. The long spines can be 11 cm long. There are 24-48 leaflets on each side and they are arranged regularly and spread in the same plane. The flowering stalks have 5-17 thick branches. The fruit are oval and 2.4-4.5 cm long by 1.3-3.5 cm wide. The are purplish-black.

There are 239 Bactris species. There are 75 species in tropical America. Most Bactris have fruit that are edible but many are not attractive.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in drier open areas. It is always near groundwater. In Townsville palmetum.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Asia, Australia, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Central America (country/location of origin), Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guianas, Guyana, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, Peru, SE Asia, South America (country/location of origin), Suriname, Trinidad, Venezuela

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten. The outer portion of the fruit is eaten but it is sour. The fruit are used to flavour drinks. The seeds of unripe fruits are cut open to eat the grey jelly inside.

Edible parts

Seeds, fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds or suckers.

Its other names

Local names

Albarica, Biscoyo, Cana brava, Coyolillo, Cubaro, Cubrarro, Guiscoyol, Hones, Huiscoyol, Jahuacte, Jahuactillo, Kawmaka, Lata, Maraja, Marayau, Mogor, Palem maraja, Samura, Tucum-branco, Tucum-doce, Uvita de tigre, Viscoyol, Yarina, Zagrinette

Synonyms

Augustinea balanoidea Oerst.; Augustinea major (Jacq.)Oerst.; Augustinea ovata Oerst.; Bactris albonotata L.H.Bailey; Bactris augustinea L.H.Bailey; Bactris balanoidea (Oerst.) H. Wendl.; Bactris beata L.H. Bailey; Bactris broadwayi L.H. Bailey; Bactris cateri L.H. Bailey; Bactris chaetorachis Mart.; Bactris cruegeriana Griseb.; Bactris demerarana L.H.Bailey; Bactris ellipsoidalis L.H.Bailey; Bactris leucacantha Linden ex H. Wendl.; Bactris minax Miq.; Bactris obovoidea L.H. Bailey; Bactris ottostaffeana Barb. Rodr.; Bactris ovata (Oerst.) H. Wendl.; Bactris ovata Stokes; Bactris planifolia L.H. Bailey; Bactris subglobosa H. Wendl.; Bactris superior L.H. Bailey; Bactris swabeyi L.H. Bailey; Pyrenoglyphis balanoidea (Oerst.) H. Karst.; Pyrenoglyphis chaetorachis (Mart.)Burret; Pyrenoglyphis cruegeriana (Griseb.) Burret; Pyrenoglyphis leucacantha (Linden ex H. Wendl.) Burret; Pyrenoglyphis major (Jacq.) H. Karst.; Pyrenoglyphis ovata (Oerst.) H. Karst.; Pyrenoglyphis ottostapfeana (Barb. Rodr.) Burret; Pyrenoglyphis superior (L.H. Bailey) Burret;