Hybridization in the babassu palm complex. II. Attalea compta × Orbignya oleifera (Palmae)

A new hybrid palm, ×Attabignya minarum, from the Rio São Francisco Valley of Minas Gerais, Brazil is described. It is a natural hybrid betweenAttalea compta Mart. andOrbignya oleifera Burret and is quite common in the area studied. Most of the morphological characters of the hybrid are intermediate between those of the parent species. A notable exception is the number of fruits produced; ×Attabignya minarum produces more fruits per panicle than either parent species. This is the first report of hybridization betweenOrbignya andAttalea and may shed light on the status ofOrbignya, considered by some to be synonymous withAttalea.