| Field notes | Caespitose tree with six stems of different ages. The smallest stem 10 cm long and 4 cm thick with 4 erect 150 - 240 cm long leaves; petioles to 100 cm round, blade to 80 cm wide, 120 cm long, with 2 x 21 pinnae, rachis rounded below, ridged above.Largest stem to 8 m tall, 12 cm in diam. at very base; 8 cm dbh, smooth with ca 20 cm long internodes; overgrown with mosses.Crown of 10 spreading leaves; leafsheaths cylindric overlapping, forming a not conspicuous crownshaft with old leafsheaths remaining for some time while they wilt. Sheath of lowermost bladebearing leaf yellow and enclosed in old wilted sheaths, closed for 50 cm, 8 cm in diam.; petiole 50 - 60 cm long, 2,5 cm wide below the blade, rounded below, flat and slightly channeled above, with sharp margins between the two surfaces; blade 3 m long 1.5 m wide, with 2 x 54 pinnae per side, basal pinnae 55 x 1 cm, middle pinnae 90 x 4 cm; apical pinnae 29 x 2 cm; rachis rounded below, ridged above except the basal part which has a flat upper surface. Inflorescences several per trunk, inserted in the axils of the old leafsheaths below the crown, in different stages of development from bud to fruit, varying in size. The following measure from a large bud. Prophyll inserted at the base of the peduncle 37 cm long, 5 cm wide, bicarinate; split open for the abaxial 12 cm. Peduncular bract inserted 10 cm from the base of peduncle, 146 cm long, 15 cm in circumference at thickest point, apiculate with an 6 cm solid tip, light brown outside, cream colored inside, persisting on the old infructescences. Peduncle 60 cm long forming a thick bulbose base, other wise slender and round, 2 cm thick at lowest rachillae reddish tinged, with a brown mealy pubescence. Rachis 56 cm long, round, cream colored or white with reddish tinge and brown mealy pubescence. Rachillae 67; inserted on all sides of rachis; basal rachillae 63 cm long; upper rachilla 30 cm long; white with reddish tinge and brown mealy pubescence, basal 5 cm naked. Flowers in triads along the rest of rachillae.After anthesis the young infructescence with immature green fruits has deep red (blood red) rachis and rachillae. Duplicates: AAU, QCA, QCNE, NY, K, COL. 8 Dupl. |
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