Laurent raphia palm
Raphia laurentii
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
A small palm. It grows 5-15 m tall. It has long black spines. The leaves have leaflets along the stalk. The flowers occur singly. The fruit is oval with large brown scales.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows along the edges of rivers. It grows in lowland swamp forests.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Asia, Central Africa (country/location of origin), Central African Republic, CAR, Congo R, Indonesia, SE Asia
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Fruit, trunk - starch
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seeds and by division of the clump.
Its other names
Local names
Palem rafia lauren