''Butia yatay'', the jelly palm or yatay palm,
is a ''
Butia
''Butia'' is a genus of palms in the family Arecaceae, native to the South American countries of Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. Many species produce edible fruits, which are sometimes used to make alcoholic beverages and other foods. ...
''
palm
Palm most commonly refers to:
* Palm of the hand, the central region of the front of the hand
* Palm plants, of family Arecaceae
**List of Arecaceae genera
* Several other plants known as "palm"
Palm or Palms may also refer to:
Music
* Palm (ba ...
native to southern
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
,
Uruguay
Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
and northern
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
.
[ It is known as the ''butiá-jataí'' in ]Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
in the south of Brazil, as well as simply ''jataí'' or ''butiá''.[ It is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental in Europe and the United States.]
It is the tallest of all the species in the genus ''Butia''. The fruit is edible with a sweet flavour.
Etymology
This is one of only a few plants in which the scientific name is completely derived from Native American languages. ''Butia'' is from a local Brazilian vernacular name likely derived from Old Tupi
Old Tupi, Ancient Tupi or Classical Tupi (also spelled as Tupí) is an extinct Tupian language which was spoken by the aboriginal Tupi people of Brazil, mostly those who inhabited coastal regions in South and Southeast Brazil. It belongs to the ...
''ᵐba atí'', meaning 'thorny thing', which probably refers to the spines along the petiole margins of most species. The specific epithet ''yatay'' is adopted from the Guaraní language
Guaraní (), specifically the primary variety known as Paraguayan Guarani ( "the people's language"), is a South American language that belongs to the Tupi–Guarani family of the Tupian languages. It is one of the official languages of P ...
word for such palms, ''yata'i'', which itself refers to the small, hard fruit.
Taxonomy
In 1970 Sidney Fredrick Glassman moved this species, along with all other ''Butia'', to '' Syagrus'', but in 1979 he changed his mind and moved everything back.
A population of ''Butia'' palms growing in Paraguay
Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...
known as ''B. dyerana'' was synonymised with this species by Glassman,[ but this population was reclassified as a synonym of ''B. paraguayensis'' by at least 1996, removing ''B. yatay'' from the flora of ]Paraguay
Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...
.
''B. poni'' (Hauman) Burret 930(syn. ''Cocos poni'' Hauman 919
__NOTOC__
Year 919 ( CMXIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
By Place
Byzantine Empire
* March 25 – Romanos Lekapenos, admiral (''droungarios'') of the ...
a ''nomen nudum
In taxonomy, a ''nomen nudum'' ('naked name'; plural ''nomina nuda'') is a designation which looks exactly like a scientific name of an organism, and may have originally been intended to be one, but it has not been published with an adequate descr ...
'') was considered a synonym of ''B. yatay'' (and ''B. paraguayensis'', ''pro parte'', ''fide'' Soares 015ref name=Soares2015/>), but was recognised as a species in its own right in 2017 by Deble after he rediscovered a population of the species in Argentina and was able to confirm its distinctiveness.
The recent taxa ''B. missionera'' and ''B. quaraimana'' described by Deble & Marchiori from Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul (, , ; "Great River of the South") is a Federative units of Brazil, state in the South Region, Brazil, southern region of Brazil. It is the Federative_units_of_Brazil#List, fifth-most-populous state and the List of Brazilian st ...
, Brazil, and ''B. noblickii'' described by Deble from a population of palms in Corrientes Province
Corrientes (, ‘currents’ or ‘streams’; gn, Taragui), officially the Province of Corrientes ( es, Provincia de Corrientes; gn, Taragüí Tetãmini) is a province in northeast Argentina, in the Mesopotamia region. It is surrounded by (fr ...
of Argentina, have all been synonymised with this species either by Soares et al. in 2014, or Soares in 2015.
Description
This is a solitary-trunked palm; the trunk often grows at an incline and is from 3 to 16m,[ exceptionally 18m tall,][ although they usually grow shorter in Brazil (to 8m).][ The trunks grow from 30 to 55 cm in diameter, usually retaining a coat of old leaf bases which do not shed easily naturally and which remain persistent for many years.][
]
Leaves
There are 11 to 31 pinnate leaves arranged spirally around the crown of the trunk.[ The 40–130 cm long petiole of the leaf has margins armed in stiff teeth which may grow up to 4 cm in length, as well as fibres along the margins. The leaf has a rachis that is 163–200 cm in length. There are (57-)63-78 glaucous-coloured pinnae (leaflets) along this rachis, these pinnae are (58-)65–77 cm long and 2–3 cm wide in the middle of the leaf. The pinnae are inserted at a single plane on both sides of the rachis, such that each pair of pinnae form a 'V'-shape.][
]
Inflorescence
The developing inflorescence is protected within a woody, hairless spathe which is lightly striated and 105–135 cm in total length, the swollen part of this spathe being 40–110 cm long and 7–14 cm wide. The branched inflorescence has a 40–75 cm long and 1.5-2.2 cm wide peduncle (stalk). The rachis of the inflorescence is 40–72 cm long and has 68-155 rachillae (branches) which are 16–72 cm long. The flowers are coloured yellow, yellow-purple, greenish-yellow or entirely purple. The staminate (male) flowers are 9-10mm in length; the pistillate (female) flowers 13–17(–18)mm.[
Compared with other extant palms in the region, ''Butia yatay'' has the largest-sized pollen grains on average. They are bilaterally symmetrical, suboblate-shaped, the end piriform (pear-shaped), and monosulcate. The surface is covered in minute 2μm-large reticulate patterns.]
Fruit & seeds
The shape of the fruit is ovoid. The shape of the 1.8-2.8 by 1-1.7 cm nut is elongated, ellipsoid or turbinate, and it weighs 1.1-3.5g.[ The ripe fruit are by in size, weigh , and have a persistent perianth. The fruit may be coloured yellow, orange, red, or purple,][ while the flesh is yellow, sweet, juicy, and slightly fibrous.][ The nut often has a beak or protuberance at its extremities, and has homogeneous endosperm and from 1 to 3 seeds.][
]
Similar species
In his 1979 key to the genus ''Butia
''Butia'' is a genus of palms in the family Arecaceae, native to the South American countries of Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. Many species produce edible fruits, which are sometimes used to make alcoholic beverages and other foods. ...
'', Glassman compares this species with '' B. paraguayensis'', the main differences being the taller trunk, the longer leaf rachis with more wider and longer pinnae, the spathe (being almost twice the size), and larger fruit, beyond the range of ''B. paraguayensis''.[
]
Distribution
In Brazil it only occurs in the southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul (, , ; "Great River of the South") is a Federative units of Brazil, state in the South Region, Brazil, southern region of Brazil. It is the Federative_units_of_Brazil#List, fifth-most-populous state and the List of Brazilian st ...
, and there only in the municipalities of Giruá
Giruá is a municipality in the northern part of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The population is 15,863 (2020 est.) in an area of 855.92 km². It is located 474 km west of the state capital of Porto Alegre, northeast of Alegrete.
...
and Quaraí
Quarai is a Brazilian municipality located near the border with Uruguay on the Rio Quaraí. The population is 22,607 (2020 est.) in an area of 3,147.63 km2, making it one of the largest municipalities in the state. Its elevation is 112 m. It ...
.[ In Argentina it occurs in the northern-center provinces of Chaco, ]Corrientes
Corrientes (; Guaraní language, Guaraní: Taragüí, literally: "Currents") is the capital city of the Provinces of Argentina, province of Corrientes Province, Corrientes, Argentina, located on the eastern shore of the Paraná River, about from ...
, Entre Ríos, Misiones
Misiones (, ''Missions'') is one of the 23 provinces of Argentina, located in the northeastern corner of the country in the Mesopotamia region. It is surrounded by Paraguay to the northwest, Brazil to the north, east and south, and Corrientes P ...
(in the municipalities of Candelaria and San Ignacio) and Santa Fe. In Uruguay it only occurs to the west in the departments of Paysandú
Paysandú () is the capital of Paysandú Department in western Uruguay.
Location
The city is located on the banks of the Uruguay River, which forms the Argentina–Uruguay border, border with Argentina. It lies northwest of Montevideo via Rout ...
and Río Negro.[
Bauermann ''et al.'' investigated the possibility of using palm pollen, including this species, in ]palynology
Palynology is the "study of dust" (from grc-gre, παλύνω, palynō, "strew, sprinkle" and '' -logy'') or of "particles that are strewn". A classic palynologist analyses particulate samples collected from the air, from water, or from deposit ...
, in order to try to provide more detail about the ancient changes in habitat in the state Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil by tracking the changes in distribution and abundance of the palms, but were unable to provide much detail on the subject.[
]
Habitat and ecology
This slow-growing palm grows to 12-18m[ tall, with a trunk diameter of 50 cm,][ in giant, ancient, almost monoculture groves in savannah habitats (called ''pampa'' in Brazil).] It is usually found in sandy soils,[ which are often much rockier than that in which other ''Butia'' are found.][ It grows at altitudes of 0-500m.][
It fruits abundantly in the summer and the seeds germinate in the wild in the spring or the fall.][
The nuts of this palm are alleged to have been the main diet of the glaucous macaw in 1993, although the taxonomy of local ''Butia'' populations has changed somewhat since then.][
''Butia yatay'' is thought to be one of the natural hosts for larvae (caterpillars) of the giant day-flying moth '']Paysandisia archon
''Paysandisia archon'' is a moth of the family Castniidae. It is native to Uruguay and central Argentina and has been accidentally introduced to Europe, where it is spreading rapidly. It is considered the only member of the genus ''Paysandisia''. ...
'' which attack the piths of this palm, along with many other palm species, at least in Europe where the moth has naturalised after likely being introduced from Argentina hidden in the trunks of ''B. yatay'' and '' Trithrinax campestris'' in consignments of palms imported for ornamental horticulture. An infestation can kill the palm. The moth prefers genera of palm with hairy trunks as the fibre is used in the construction of the cocoon for the pupa
A pupa ( la, pupa, "doll"; plural: ''pupae'') is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation between immature and mature stages. Insects that go through a pupal stage are holometabolous: they go through four distinct stages in their ...
; in Europe it prefers ''Trachycarpus
''Trachycarpus'' is a genus of eleven species of palms native to Asia, from the Himalaya east to eastern China. They are fan palms (subfamily Coryphoideae), with the leaves with a bare petiole terminating in a rounded fan of numerous leaflets ...
'' above all, but also '' Trithrinax'' or ''Chamaerops
''Chamaerops'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Arecaceae. The only currently fully accepted species is ''Chamaerops humilis'', variously called European fan palm or the Mediterranean dwarf palm. It is one of the most cold-hardy ...
''.
Horticulture
Seeds (or rather, nuts) are collected in Brazil for the international ornamental plant industry.[
It is advised to plant the palms in full sunlight. It is said to take -12 °C, but should be protected at -5 °C in ]the Netherlands
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, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
.
It is commonly grown and sold in Japan as an ornamental lawn plant.
Conservation
In 2008 the conservation status in Brazil was classified as 'data deficient' by the federal Ministério do Meio Ambiente. In 2012 the conservation status in Brazil was evaluated as 'vulnerable' by the Centro Nacional de Conservação da Flora
The Centro Nacional de Conservação da Flora (CNCFlora) is a Brazilian nonprofit organization that determines conservation statuses of various Brazilian plant species. It intends to create a Red List (''lista vermelha'' in Portuguese) of plants ...
. Although it occurs over an extensive range, both the size and quality of the remaining habitat is threatened due to the expansion of forestry and agricultural activities.[
Specimens are cultivated ''ex situ'' in Brazil in the ]Botanical Garden of Rio de Janeiro
The Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden or Jardim Botânico is located at the Jardim Botânico district in the South Zone of Rio de Janeiro.
The Botanical Garden shows the diversity of Brazilian and foreign flora. There are around 6,500 species (s ...
and the Inhotim Botanical Garden.[
]
Gallery
File:Palmera en Fortín Olavarría (planta 02) foto 02.JPG, A cultivated younger tree in Fortín Olavarría, Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
, Argentina, showing the persistent leaf bases and the spathes.
File:Butia yatay - palmares de quebracho 1.jpg, Flowers of ''Butia yatay'' in Quebracho, Paysandú Department
Paysandú Department () is a department of the northwestern region of Uruguay. It has an area of and a population of 113,124. Its capital is the city of Paysandú. It borders Salto Department to its north, Tacuarembó Department to its east, R ...
, Uruguay.
File:Palmera en Fortín Olavarría (planta 02) foto 04.JPG, The petiole of the leaf bearing substantial teeth along its margins.
File:Butia yatay - palmares de quebracho- Paysandú, Quebracho 41.JPG, A grove of old trees ''in situ'' at Quebracho, Paysandú Department
Paysandú Department () is a department of the northwestern region of Uruguay. It has an area of and a population of 113,124. Its capital is the city of Paysandú. It borders Salto Department to its north, Tacuarembó Department to its east, R ...
, Uruguay.
File:Contributions du Jardin botanique de Rio de Janeiro (1901) (20692838501).jpg, Comparison of fruit by João Barbosa Rodrigues
João Barbosa Rodrigues (June 22, 1842 – March 6, 1909) was considered one of Brazil's greatest botanists, known especially for his work on orchids and palms. For nearly two decades he was director of the Botanic Garden of Rio de Janeiro. Some ...
in 1901. ''B. yatay'' is 'A' (note the large fruit); ''B. odorata'' is 'B' & 'C', ''B. eriospatha'' is 'D', and '' Syagrus coronata'' is 'E'.
See also
* El Palmar National Park
El Palmar National Park (in Spanish, ''Parque Nacional El Palmar'') is one of Argentina's national parks, located on the center-east of the province of Entre Ríos, midway between the cities of Colón (54 km) and Concordia (60 km). I ...
* Mburucuyá National Park
References
External links
*http://hort.ufl.edu/trees/BUTCAPA.pdf
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1428159
yatay
Trees of Argentina
Trees of Brazil
Trees of Paraguay
Trees of Uruguay
Taxa named by Odoardo Beccari