Gentila raphia palm
Raphia gentiliana
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
A clustered palm. It grows 6 m tall. It has long black spines. The leaves have leaflets along the stalk. They are narrow and regularly arranged. The flowering shoots come from among the leaves. The fruit are oval with large dark brown scales. There is one seed.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows in lowland forests.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Asia, Central Africa, Congo DR, Indonesia, SE Asia
How it is used for food
The young trunk is edible for starch.
Edible parts
Trunk - starch
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seeds or suckers.
Its other names
Local names
Koko, Palem rafia jentila