Kosi palm, Southern raphia palm
Raphia australis
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
A solitary palm. The stem is broad and 12 m tall. It has a dense crown. The leaves are stiffly erect and there are leaflets along the stalk. The leaf stalks do not have spines. The leaflets are narrow and they have spines along the edge. The flowering shoots is covered by a sheath 3 m long. The flowers are brownish. The fruit are oval and scaly. There is one seed.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows in freshwater swamp forests.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Asia, East Africa, Indonesia, Mozambique (country/location of origin), SE Asia, South Africa
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Pith - starch
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seeds.
Its other names
Local names
Palem kosi