| Field notes | Solitary, single-stemmed, dioecious palm with stem to 16.8m tall. Stem 11 2cm circumference at base, widening to a maximum of 237cm circumference at 11.7m height. Stem grey with distinct leaf scars. Crown of 27 green leaves including 3 unexpanded leaves in the sword. Leaves costapalmate, costa between 100cm and 192cm long. Petiole dark brown to yellow-green in colour, armed with recurved black spines, and between 206cm and 220cm long. Lamina divided to 95cm, with between 115 and 119 leaflets. Shortest leaflet between 39cm and 57cm long. Female tree with 9 mature infructescences, borne axillary. Each infructescence with between 13 and 24 fruits. Infructescences up to 140cm long, unbranched, and with 9-11 empty bracts. Fruits rounded, between 6.6cm and 8.4cm long, and between 5.8cm and 7.2cm diameter. Fruits orange in colour and with a sweet fragrance. New inflorescences emerging from upper axils. Specimens preserved using the Schweinfurth method, which may cause discolouration. Leaves occasionally used for thatching or weaving, though considered inferior to those of Cocos and Hyphaene. Vernacular: mvumo, Dialect: Swahili |
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