| Field notes | Caespitose, 3 stems and several suckers. Stem 3 m, 5 cm diam., spiny. Leaves 7; sheath 42 cm, open to base, spiny; petiole 23 cm; rachis 111 cm, with yellow spines; pinnae 12-13 per side, inserted singly or in pairs, basal pinnae 19 x 2 cm, middle pinnae 27 x 9 cm, apical pinnae 27 x 11 cm. Inflorescence at pistillate anthesis interfoliar, erect, reaching above the leaves; prophyll 65 cm, enclosed in leafsheath for 33 cm, in this part green, brown and wilting above; peduncular bract 185 cm, brown, fibrous, hanging down; peduncle 150 cm, straight, covered with yellow spines, 1-2 cm long; rachis 65 cm, dark brown to violet, densely covered with short, brown, hairlike spines; rachillae 62, spiny like rachis but denser, the upper 22 staminate with flowers fallen off, wilting, the lower 50 cm long 5 mm diam. at base, tapering; pistillate flowers with completely spreading, cream-pink petals, stigmas yellow. Old infructescence dead, hanging down. Infructescence (from another stem) interfoliar; peduncle 210 cm; fruits rostrate, 1 cm diam., black and decaying. Note: the pistillate inflorescence was visited by an array of flying insects including several homoptera, hemiptera, diptera, and lepidoptera (satyridae). No special scent was noted. |
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