rachis. The developing inflorescence is protected in a woody spathe 30–80cm in length; the outside of the spathe is hairless and rarely somewhat scaly (lepidote or squamulate) and the swollen part of the spathe is 30-39cm long and 1.3-8cm wide. The inflorescence is branched to a single order, with 15-35 rachillae (branches) 7-20cm long. It is monoecious. The flowers are generally purplish. The staminate (male) flowers are 8-10mm long. The pistillate (female) flowers are 5–8mm in length. The shape of the 1.6-2cm x 1.5-1.7cm fruit is an elongated ellipsoid, yellowish-green to purplish-green in colour at maturity, and with yellow flesh which tastes sweet and sour. The 1-1.2cm x 0.9-1.1cm nut has an ovoid shape containing 1-3 seeds. Similar species According to Glassman in 1979, this taxon can easily be distinguished from other acaulescent species of Butia, such as B. arenicola and (sometimes) B. paraguayensis, by its petiole margins lacking teeth, and from B. microspadix, which also lacks teeth, by the hairless spathes, which are covered in dark brown hairs in B. microspadix. Distribution It is endemic to Brazil, being native to the states of Goiás, Brasília, Minas Gerais and São Paulo in Brazil. The population is largely split in three large populations from east to west in regions of higher elevations, split by regions of lower elevations in the major river valleys. The spatial distribution of individuals is usually as small groups clustered together; one rarely encounters lone individuals. Habitat It grows in rocky fields in highlands, in the cerrado ecoregion, where it can locally be very abundant. Ecology In its native habitat it flowers from May to December and fruits from July to February. It is found in 50cm high grasses together with the palm species Syagrus comosa, S. flexuosa, S. petraea, Allagoptera campestris (somewhat rarely), and A. leucocalyx in Fazenda Água Limpa in the Federal District. This area has an elevation of 1,100m and an annual rainfall of 1,600mm, a dry season in the winter from July to September, in latosol soil with a relatively high amount of aluminium oxides. The seeds are usually preyed upon by insects and small rodents. Horticulture Seeds germinate with difficulty (48% abortion rate according to a 2009 study). It grows quite slowly. It tolerates transplantation very well, even when an adult. It is advised to plant the palms in full sunlight. It is said to take -5°C, but should be protected at