Bactris major Jacq.

Strong upright palm producing many stout canes 6-8 m. tall and 5 cm. thick that become free of thorns and are then white-ringed, very spiny on sheaths: leaves large, 2-2.5 m. long, dull green; pinnae 30 or more pairs, glabrous except finely setose on margins, 2-3 cm. or less broad, long-acuminate, 40-65 cm. long, midrib stout and lateral veins conspicuous: spadix 30-40 cm. long, the prominent-compressed peduncle setose-spiny toward the top and soon downward-curved or goose-necked; cymba bearing scattered stiff hairs but practically glabrous on the surface, flower-cluster branching nearly or quite from its base and lacking a con-tinuing rachis; pistillate. flowers scattered along the rachillae and about 4 mm. across at anthesis, the corolla-cup hairy on its upper part, staminodes represented by an apron or membranous ring on inside of the cup: fruit ellipsoidal or elliptic-ovoid, 4-5 cm. long and 3.5-4 cm. thick, purplish when mature, becoming pointed or peaked when dry; cupule doubly crenate.

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

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.

Plants can be grown from seeds or suckers.