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Allagoptera campestris

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Allagoptera campestris

Family Name: Arecaceae (Palmae)
Synonyms: Diplothemium campestre var. genuinum, Diplothemium campestre var. glaziovii, Diplothemium campestre var. glazioui, Diplothemium campestre, Allagoptera campestris var. orbignyi
Common Name: Buri

Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Name Status (botanical)
Synonyms
Common Names
Comments

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Monocotyledon)
Plant Growth Form Palm (Solitary Habit, Clustered Habit)

Biogeography

Native Distribution Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay

Description and Ethnobotany

Growth Form An unarmed, relatively slow-growing clumping palm that grows in sparse, open habitats, with subterranean (grown below ground) trunks that tend to bifurcate, producing multiple heads, accompanied by a sparse crown of arching fronds.
Trunk Stems very short or acaulescent (stemless or appearing so, or with the stem subterranean), erect, often making a downward turn in growth resulting in the crown appearing below the trunk base.
Foliage Fronds gently arching, up to 2 m long, dark green above and silvery below; leaflets stiff, pointed, regularly or irregularly positioned along the rachis in clusters of two or four, each protruding into a different plane, creating a plumose appearance on the frond; young fronds covered in soft, white hairs.
Others - Plant Morphology Flower: Inflorescence spicate, cream, emerging from within leaf-crown, supporting densely packed flowers on a short, broad flowering branch. Fruit: Fruits ovoid or ellipsoid, yellow to brown, single-seeded, covered in soft, white hairs.
Cultivation Does best under full sun on well-drained, dry, rocky, sandy soils, especially those rich in iron. Propagated by dividing of rhizomes and by seeds. Seeds germinate erractically over 3 to 6 months.
Etymology Its genus epithet is derived from two Greek words, 'allagos', alternate, on the opposite side, and 'pteron', a wing, in reference to the plumose appearance of its fronds. Its species epithet means 'growing in the fields', which suggests its natural habitats, where they are often found growing in the fields with tall grasses.
Ethnobotanical Uses Others: Fruits are edible only before maturity.

Landscaping Features

Desirable Plant Features Ornamental Fruits
Landscape Uses Coastal
Thematic Landscaping Rockery / Desert Garden

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference Full Sun
Water Preference Moderate Water
Plant Growth Rate Moderate
Rootzone Tolerance Saline Soils / Salt Spray, Drought Tolerant

Foliar

Mature Foliage Colour(s) Green
Mature Foliage Texture(s) Glossy / Shiny, Hairy / Hirsute, Leathery
Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio 4.0 (Palm - Cluster)

Non - Foliar and Storage

Trunk Type (Palm) Clustering Habit, Aboveground

Floral (Angiosperm)

Flower Colour(s) Cream / Off-White

Fruit, Seed and Spore

Mature Fruit Colour(s) Brown, Yellow / Golden

Image Repository

Images

Others

Master ID 1292
Species ID 2585
Flora Disclaimer The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.
Species record last updated on: 10 December 2021.
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