Chontaduro
Bactris gasipaes
Orden: Order: Arecales
Familia: Family: Arecaceae
Género: Genus: Bactris
Especie: Species: Gasipaes
Nombres comunes: Common names: Chontaduro, chocarrás, chonta palmito, pupuña.
Parte de la planta que se usa para el pigmento: Part of the plant used for pigment: Leaf
Color: Green
Chontaduro pigment on paper. 102 x 68 cm
Pigmento de chontaduro sobre papel.
102 x 68 cmChontaduro pigment on paper.
102 x 68 cm
Herbarium. Dried Chontaduro leaves, sewn on rice paper.
77 x 57 cm. 2013.
Monotype on rice paper made from the dried Chontaduro leaves.
100 x 65 cm. 2013.
Chontaduro. Leticia, Colombia, 2011.
Descripción general
General Description
Palm with straight and prickly stem that may reach up to twenty meters in height. The leaves are pinnate (arranged symmetrically, nine to twenty per palm), lush-looking, with spikes, and grouped at the top. Its small, white flowers are accompanied by a large, prickly pod. The fruits, arranged in clusters, are oval, deep red and ordinarily have a single seed.
Chontaduro. Leticia, Colombia, 2011.
Distribución geográfica
e historia natural
Geographic Distribution
and Natural History
Originally found across tropical America, from Nicaragua to Brazil and Bolivia. It is mainly found in warm climates and along the foothills of mountain ranges, around non-floodable wet areas, growing well in different environments.
Chontaduro pigment manual extraction. Leticia, Colombia, 2011.
Usos
Uses
Chontaduro is widely used and planted by indigenous communities. Its fruits are high in nutritional value: contains protein, phosphorus, vitamins A, B, and C, iron and calcium, among others. The fruit can be eaten and used in a variety of ways and recipes. The flowers and the palm are also edible and its timber is used for various purposes.
Pigmento
Pigment
The chontaduro provides a green pigment when its leaflets are macerated. This is a very popular plant that can be found easily. Its pigment sets very well on paper, but not on fique (natural fiber); and on cotton it generates a low-intensity, pale green. It does not require exposure to fire to bind to the supports used.
