| Field notes | Solitary. Stem 8 m tall (other individuals up to 20 m tall), 24 cm in diam at base, slightly thicker toward middle and then tapering slightly toward apex, white, usually less so in older individuals; internodes 9-19 cm long, irregularly, somewhat oblique. Leaves 14-15, spreading; sheath ca. 160 cm long, light brown, very conspicuous from a distance; petiole ca. 85 cm long, 7.5 cm wide at apex, adaxially green, flattened acute at margins, abaxially green with thick light brown tomentum, convex; rachis 355 cm long, adaxially flattened for 200 cm, acute towards the apex, green, abaxially convex with light indumentum; pinnae 122 on each side, regularly disposed, slightly pendulous, abaxially with light grey-white indumentum; basal pinnae 80 x 1.4 cm, middle pinnae 110 x 2.9 cm, apical pinnae 48 x 2 cm, the 5-8 apical pinnae marginally connate toward their apices. Inflorescence interfoliar, 4 in the same stage; peduncle 3.5 cm wide, dorsiventrally compressed, yellowish-green; rachis 123 cm long, yellow like the rachillae; rachillae 100, almost arranged in whorls, repeatedly branched, the last branches of 4 order, the longest rachillae 52 cm long, near 1/3 above the rachis base; peduncular bracts at least 5, the upper one at least 142 cm long, leathery, brown with creamy color indumentum; flowers cream, with (9-) 11 stamens. Vernancular name: "ramito"; "palma de ramo"; "palma real". Uses: The young leaves are used as "ramo" (palm Sunday) during holy week.Locally very common on mountain slopes. With fruits (mature) according to local people by november-december. |
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