Urucuri palm

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Urucuri palm
• Acuri Palm

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Attalea pacensis
• Scheelea gomphococca
• Maximiliana tetrasticha
• Attalea excelsa
• Scheelea huebneri
• Attalea gomphococca
• Scheelea parviflora
• Attalea hoehnei
• Scheelea lauromuelleriana
• Attalea parviflora
• Scheelea martiana
• Scheelea microspadix
• Attalea princeps
• Scheelea tetrasticha
• Attalea huebneri
• Scheelea princeps
• Attalea lauromuelleriana
• Scheelea princeps var. corumbaensis
• Attalea weberbaueri
• Scheelea quadrisperma
• Attalea amylacea
• Scheelea quadrisulcata
• Attalea anisitsiana
• Scheelea corumbaensis
• Scheelea amylacea
• Scheelea anisitsiana
• Scheelea weberbaueri
• Scheelea phalerata
• Englerophoenix tetrasticha

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Arecales, it is a member of the family Arecaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Attalea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across several key regions of South America. Within Western South America, its presence is documented in both Bolivia and Peru. The species also extends significantly into the Brazilian territory. Specifically, it can be found throughout Brazil West-Central and Brazil Northeast. Furthermore, its range includes the Brazil Southeast region.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Attalea phalerata is characterized by its adaptability across diverse environmental contexts, ranging from natural ecosystems to human-modified landscapes. It is found in a variety of habitats, including Anthropogenic areas, the Cerrado (sensu lato), riparian forests or gallery forests, and Ombrophilous (rainforest) forests. This species typically thrives at a mean elevation of 237.5 meters above mean sea level (AMSL). Regarding its biological strategies, the plant does not exhibit specific defensive mechanisms.

Defense :

no

Elevational range mean:

237.5 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica, Cerrado (lato sensu), Floresta Ciliar ou Galeria, Floresta Ombrófila (= Floresta Pluvial)

Life history

The life history of Attalea phalerata is characterized by its status as a perennial organism, ensuring its presence in the ecosystem over many years. As a phanerophyte, it maintains its photosynthetic organs on elevated structures, typically developing a robust stature that allows it to occupy significant vertical space within its habitat. This species exhibits an evergreen habit, maintaining its foliage throughout the year without undergoing a seasonal period of leaf loss.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Attalea phalerata is characterized by its growth form as a woody, self-supporting tree, specifically classified within the palm family. This species typically exhibits an erect shoot orientation and maintains an independent existence, functioning as neither a parasite nor an epiphyte, as it is strictly terrestrial in its habitat. The plant reaches a mean height of approximately 6 meters, though it can grow to a maximum height of 15 meters. Its structural development is robust, featuring a maximum diameter at breast height (DBH) of 60 cm and a maximum shoot length reaching up to 1000 cm.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

DBH max:

60 cm

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

15 m

Plant height mean:

6 m

Shoot length max:

1000 cm

Shoot orientation :

erect

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Attalea phalerata is characterized by several distinct morphological and metabolic adaptations. The plant utilizes a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a common metabolic strategy for many tropical palms that involves the direct fixation of carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle. Structurally, the leaves are notably expansive, reaching a maximum leaf length of 970 cm, which facilitates significant light interception for energy production. Unlike some other species within the Attalea genus, this plant does not possess leaf spines, contributing to a different mechanical profile. Furthermore, Attalea phaleratata does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on the uptake of available nitrogen from the soil rather than through symbiotic nitrogen-fixing relationships.

Leaf length max:

970 cm

Leaf spines :

no

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Attalea phalerata is characterized by the production of fleshy fruits that play a critical role in its life cycle. These fruits exhibit a brown coloration and vary in dimensions, with an average length of 8.5 cm (ranging from a minimum of 6 cm to a maximum of 11 cm) and an average width of 4 cm (ranging from 3 cm to 5 cm). The reproductive success of the species is facilitated by a zoochorous dispersal syndrome, where animals play a key role in transporting the seeds. Each fruit contains a substantial seed with a consistent volume of 13,000 mm³, representing the minimum, maximum, and mean seed volume recorded for the species.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Fruit colour :

brown

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length max:

11 cm

Fruit length mean:

8.5 cm

Fruit length min:

6 cm

Fruit width max:

5 cm

Fruit width mean:

4 cm

Fruit width min:

3 cm

Seed volume max:

13000 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Attalea phalerata has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include ARA, FUC, XYL.

ARA

1. Phytochemistry

FUC

1. Phytochemistry

XYL

1. Phytochemistry

Conditions

Attalea phalerata has 2 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include hair, joint pain.

Hair

1. PloS one

Joint pain

1. PloS one