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 (148 ft) in length. The pinnate leaves range from 30 cm (12 in) to 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) 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
