Desmoncus orthacanthos

{{Short description|Species of palm}}

{{Speciesbox

| image = Desmoncus orthacanthos - Climbing Palm (31408972820).jpg

| image2 = Desmoncus orthacanthos - Climbing Palm flowers (31620650882).jpg

| image2_caption = D. orthacanthos plant and flowers

| genus = Desmoncus

| species = orthacanthos

| authority = 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 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.{{cite book |last=Henderson |first=Andrew |author-link= Andrew Henderson (botanist) |author2=Gloria Galeano |author2-link=Gloria Galeano |author3=Rodrigo Bernal |author3-link=Rodrigo Bernal |title=Field guide to the palms of the Americas |publisher=Princeton University Press |location=Princeton, New Jersey |year=1995 |isbn=0-691-08537-4}}

Desmoncus orthacanthos is found in Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru.{{cite web |url=http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/wcsp/namedetail.do?accepted_id=60404&repSynonym_id=-9998&name_id=60404&status=true |title=Desmoncus orthacanthos |accessdate=2007-09-24 |work=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130802160358/http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/wcsp/namedetail.do?accepted_id=60404&repSynonym_id=-9998&name_id=60404&status=true |archive-date=2013-08-02 |url-status=dead }} The stems are used for basket weaving.