Editing Oenocarpus bacaba (section)

== Description ==

Reported mature size varies. A reference account gives a palm reaching 20–25 m on a trunk 15–25 cm thick,<sup id="cite_ref-5">[[#cite_note-5|[5]]]</sup> while a compiled review lists 7–20 m with a trunk of 15–25 cm and a grower guide gives about 18 m with a trunk up to 30 cm.<sup id="cite_ref-6">[[#cite_note-6|[6]]]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-7">[[#cite_note-7|[7]]]</sup> The crown carries pinnate leaves with drooping leaflets around a long, dark green to violet sheath, and the palm is monoecious.<sup>[[#cite_note-5|[5]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup>

The fruit is a globose to ellipsoid drupe, dark red-purple turning violet-black when ripe, about 1.4–2 cm in diameter and 1.5–3 g, with a single seed inside a fibrous endocarp and a mesocarp only about 1–1.5 mm thick, creamy white, oily and fibrous.<sup>[[#cite_note-6|[6]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup> The species is easily confused with the related ''Oenocarpus bataua'' (milpeso or seje, with larger fruit and pinnae held in one plane) and with ''O. distichus'' (bacaba-de-leque), and fruit sold as bacaba may carry either identity.<sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-4|[4]]]</sup> Recorded heterotypic synonyms include ''Oenocarpus grandis'', ''O. hoppii'' and ''O. bacaba'' var. ''grandis''; the name ''Areca bacaba'' is an invalidly published (nomen nudum) record.<sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup>