Attalea phalerata
StatusLC
Status systemIUCN3.1
TaxonAttalea phalerata
AuthorityMart. ex Spreng.

Attalea phalerata is a species of palm tree known by the English common name urucuri palm, the Portuguese common name urucurizeiro, and the Spanish common name shapaja.[1] Other common names include motacu[2] and bacuri.[3] It is native to Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Peru,[4][1] where it grows along southern and western Amazonia.[5] It is the most common palm tree on the Pantanal.[6]

Description

This palm grows up to 18 metres (59 ft 1 in) tall, the trunk rarely reaching more than 4 metres (13 ft 1 in).[7][8] It has up to 30 feather-like leaves.[8] The bright orange fruits are up to 11 centimetres (4.3 in) long.[8]

Ecology

This palm species is of ecological importance and grows in many types of forest; individuals become fertile at 7–10 years of age (1 m height).[7] Flowering occurs throughout the year and fruiting twice per year.[7] The seeds are dispersed by tapirs, which swallow the fruits whole,[9] and by rheas, agoutis, spiny rats of genus Clyomys, and caracaras. The hyacinth macaw consumes the seeds and may disperse them, as well.[3] The sheaths of the palm often accumulate the seeds of other plants, which are sometimes deposited there by Artibeus jamaicensis, a frugivorous bat. The seeds sometimes germinate there and grow as epiphytes on the palm tree.[6] This palm tree is commonly pollinated by sap beetles of genus Mystrops and weevils of tribe Madarini.[10] The weevil Pachymerus cardo is known to be a seed predator on this species.[9] Rhodinus stali, an insect which is a vector of Chagas disease, may infest this tree.[2]

Uses

The tree has human uses. The leaves are used to thatch rooftops and the fruits are fed to pigs and other livestock.[2] It is a source of vegetable oil.[11] It is one of the most economically important palm species in Bolivia, where it is known as motacú.[7][12]

References

  1. ^
  2. ^ Justi, S. A.; Noireau, F.; Cortez, M. R.; Monteiro, F. A. (2010). "Infestation of peridomestic Attalea phalerata palms by Rhodnius stali, a vector of Trypanosoma cruzi in the Alto Beni, Bolivia". Tropical Medicine & International Health. 15 (6): 727–732. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3156.2010.02527.x
  3. ^ Galetti, Mauro & Guimarães Jr, Paulo R. (2013). "Seed dispersal of Attalea phalerata (Palmae) by Crested caracaras (Caracara plancus) in the Pantanal and a review of frugivory by raptors". Ararajuba. 12 (21): 133–135.
  4. ^ Barker, A. (2021). "Attalea phalerata". Vol. 2021. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T67532499A67532502.en. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
  5. ^ Choo, Juanita; Ishak, Heather; Simpson, Beryl; Mueller, Ulrich; Juenger, Tom (2010). "Characterization of 14 microsatellite loci in a tropical palm, Attalea phalerata (Arecaceae)". American Journal of Botany. 97 (11): e105–e106. doi:10.3732/ajb.1000281. PMID 21616808
  6. ^ Corrêa, Christiane E.; Fischer, Erich; Santos, Flavio A. M. dos (2012). "Seed banks on Attalea phalerata (Arecaceae) stems in the Pantanal wetland, Brazil". Annals of Botany. 109 (4): 729–734. doi:10.1093/aob/mcr317. PMC 3286283. PMID 22210851
  7. ^ Barthlott, W. and M. Winiger. Biodiversity: A Challenge for Development Research and Policy. Springer 2001.
  8. ^ "Attalea phalerata - Palmpedia - Palm Grower's Guide". www.palmpedia.net. Retrieved 2018-10-27.
  9. ^ Quiroga‐Castro, Verónica D. & Roldán, Alexandra I. (2001). "The fate of Attalea phalerata (Palmae) seeds dispersed to a tapir latrine". Biotropica. 33 (3): 472–477. doi:10.1111/j.1744-7429.2001.tb00200.x. JSTOR 3593191
  10. ^ Fava, Wellington Santos; da Silva Covre, Wesley; Sigrist, Maria Rosângela (2011). "Attalea phalerata and Bactris glaucescens (Arecaceae, Arecoideae): Phenology and pollination ecology in the Pantanal, Brazil". Flora – Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants. 206 (6): 575–584. doi:10.1016/j.flora.2011.02.001
  11. ^ Mónica, Moraes R.; Borchsenius, Finn; Blicher-Mathiesen, Ulla (1996). "Notes on the biology and uses of the Motacú Palm (Attalea phalerata, Arecaceae) from Bolivia". Economic Botany. 50 (4): 423–428. doi:10.1007/bf02866525. JSTOR 4255886
  12. ^ Brokamp, Grischa (2015). Relevance and Sustainability of Wild Plant Collection in NW South America: Insights from the Plant Families Arecaceae and Krameriaceae. Wiesbaden: Springer Spektrum. doi:10.1007/978-3-658-08696-1. ISBN 978-3-658-08695-4. S2CID 30557398