| Description |
Stem 3.6 - 4.5 m, 17.5 - 23.5 cm
diameter at base, slender, green, speckled brown at base. Petiole c. 90 cm,
compressed, narrowly channelled. Leaves scarcely spreading, blades c. 2.4 x 0.6m,
narrowly lanceolate, base asymmetrically cordate, thin-textured, glaucous when fresh,
afterwards shining.
Male bracts recurved at apex, deciduous, ovate, bright
purplish-brown streaked paler outside yellow inside. Male bud narrow, acute.
Male flower unknown. Female bracts elongate ovate-lanceolate, acuminate.
Female flowers borne in 3 +? hands; each with c. 18 flowers borne in 2 rows on
callosities ; free tepal ovate, acute, cordate. Fruits forwardly directed when
immature, finally horizontal, small (6 x 1.5 cm), pedicel slender, c. 3.5 cm.
Seeds few, black, irregular in shape, 3.25 mm diameter, surrounded by much
soft, sweet pulp.
[from Noltie 1994] |