Tropical Plant "Bacaba"
Oenocarpus distichus

Characteristics - Oenocarpus distichus is not a cultivated fruit bearer however it is abundant in nature, native to Para, Maranhao, Mato Grosso, Tocantins, Goias and Rondonia in dry land forests and the transitional vegetation of the savannas (cerrado). A solitary palm, it is 5-10 m tall. Leaves are pinnate, plumose, 3-5 m long, 9-12 concurrently, arranged on the same plane in two directions (distichous), with 40-130 pairs of pinnae irregularly distributed on the rachis in groups and arranged on different planes. Inflorescences branched with 50-160 rachises. Fruits have a thin carnose mesocarp (pulp).

Uses - The fruits are consumed in their natural state, in the form of 'bacaba wine', in which the pulp is removed from the fruit and whipped with water. It is a high calorie beverage routinely consumed in the Amazon region.

Propagation - Propagated by seeds.