Desmoncus orthacanthos

Desmoncus orthacanthos
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
(unranked):	Commelinids
Order:	Arecales
Family:	Arecaceae
Genus:	Desmoncus
Species:	D. orthacanthos
Binomial name
Desmoncus orthacanthos Mart.
Synonyms
Atitara orthacantha (Mart.) Kuntze Desmoncus horridus Splitg. ex Mart. Desmoncus longifolius Mart. Desmoncus lophacanthos Mart. Desmoncus rudentum Mart. Desmoncus major Crueg. ex Griseb. Desmoncus ataxacanthus Barb.Rodr. Desmoncus palustris Trail Desmoncus melanacanthos Mart. ex Drude Desmoncus orthacanthos var. mitis Drude Desmoncus orthacanthos var. trailianus Drude Desmoncus macrocarpus Barb.Rodr. Atitara ataxacantha (Barb.Rodr.) Kuntze Atitara chinantlensis (Liebm. ex Mart.) Kuntze Atitara drudeana Kuntze Atitara horrida (Splitg. ex Mart.) Kuntze Atitara major (Crueg. ex Griseb.) Kuntze Atitara palustris (Trail) Kuntze Desmoncus cuyabaensis Barb.Rodr. Desmoncus prostratus Lindm. Atitara cuyabaensis (Barb.Rodr.) Barb.Rodr. Atitara lophacantha (Mart.) Barb.Rodr. Atitara macrocarpa (Barb.Rodr.) Barb.Rodr. Atitara prostrata (Lindm.) Barb.Rodr. Atitara rudenta (Mart.) Barb.Rodr. Desmoncus angustisectus Burret Desmoncus luetzelburgii Burret Desmoncus werdermannii Burret Desmoncus huebneri Burret Desmoncus leptochaete Burret Desmoncus kuhlmannii Burret Desmoncus myriacanthos Dugand Desmoncus brittonii L.H.Bailey Desmoncus hartii L.H.Bailey Desmoncus tobagonis L.H.Bailey Desmoncus apureanus L.H.Bailey Desmoncus demeraranus L.H.Bailey & H.E.Moon Desmoncus velezii L.H.Bailey Desmoncus multijugus Steyerm.

Desmoncus orthacanthos is a spiny, climbing palm native to Trinidad and Tobago and tropical South America. Stems grow clustered together, and are 2–12 m long and 1.5–2 cm in diameter. Stems, leaf sheaths and often leaves are covered with black spines up to 6 cm long.^[1]

Desmoncus orthacanthos is found in Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru.^[2] The stems are used for basket weaving.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Henderson, Andrew; Gloria Galeano; Rodrigo Bernal (1995). Field guide to the palms of the Americas. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-08537-4. 
2. ^ "Desmoncus orthacanthos". Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/wcsp/namedetail.do?accepted_id=60404&repSynonym_id=-9998&name_id=60404&status=true. Retrieved 2007-09-24.