| Field notes | A caespitose tree in a clump of 3 trees in disturbed forest. Larger clumps of up to 15 or 20 trees of what appears to be the same species observed where the forest had been completely removed. The base with a 1 m high and 60 cm wide inverted cone of many adventitious roots; each root branching, about 0.5-2 cm in diam, first yellow then brown. The trunk 10 m high, 7.5 cm in diam at the base and 9 cm in diam at the top, grey, internodes 15 cm long near the base, 9 cm long at the top, copiously provided with up to 8 cm long black dorsiventrally, flattened, flexuous spines that point downwards. The crown of 5 graciously spreading leaves, without crownshaft, but the leafsheaths and remains there of occupy a 150 cm long, irregularly shaped section. The leaves with about 1 m long, closed, spiny sheaths that remain for sometime after the blade has fallen, protecting the young inflorescences; the petiole 26 cm long, not spined (!), round in cross section with a small adaxial channel; the blade 310 x 185 cm with 56 pinnae on each side, the pinnae diverging in slightly different angles and the blade therefore not completely plane. The inflorescences 3, inserted in the axils of the lower remaining, spiny, bladeless leaf sheaths; rachis ascending and then hanging down with the spiny spathe remaining as a roof over the entire inflorescence. Uses: No information available. |
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