Eremospatha is a
genus of climbing
flowering plants in the
palm family found in tropical
Africa.[2] These
rattans are uncommon in cultivation and poorly understood by taxonomists. Closely related to Laccosperma, they are differentiated by the near complete absence of bracts and bracteoles.[3] The name is from
Greek meaning "without a
spathe".
Description
The slender, high-climbing trunks are naturally clustering and can reach up to 45 m in length. The
pinnate leaves range from 30 cm to 2.5 m on short, armed petioles; the rachis, leaf margins and cirri are also armed with spines. They are hermaphroditic, with both male and female reproductive organs present in each
flower. The pale blooms are fragrant and produce a red to brown, scaly
fruit, each containing one to three
seeds.[4]
^Uhl, Natalie W. and Dransfield, John (1987) Genera Palmarum - A classification of palms based on the work of Harold E. Moore. Lawrence, Kansas: Allen Press.
ISBN0-935868-30-5 /
ISBN978-0-935868-30-2