H. Balslev 62012

Cespitose, 10 stemmed on slope in cattle pasture. Stem to 5 m tall, 8 cm diam., heavily armed with fierce downwards pointlng spines on internodes. Leaves 8, petiole and sheath not distinct, base encircling stem for ca. 5 cm in outermost leaves/sheath and petiole 55 cm in outer leaves, central leaves with cylindrical sheath; petiole rounded below, shallowly grooved above, rounded margin between upper and lower surface. Sheath and petiole green with grey indumentum and densely spiny, spines to 5 cm long, rachis 127 cm long, rounded below, basal 30 cm shallowly grooved above, otherwise wich a central rim between two flat surfaces bearing the pinnae. Pinnae 62 per side plus top segment, basal pinna 25 x 0.5 cm middle pinna 34 x 5.5 cm, upper pinna 20 x 4 cm top segment 17 x 10 cm tall pinnae wedgeshaped with dentate tops, pinnae with few up to 5 cm long spines on midnerve, otherwise finely tomentose below, above with short stiff hairs, margins with fine spines. Inflorescence and infructescence one in the axil of each leaf, the 2 – 3 basal ones wilted, the next one developed with flowers or fruits. Inflorescence bud (in axil of 4th leaf), prophyll 31 x 6 cm, dorsiventrally flattened with lateral wings, top rounded, abaxial surface cream coloured at base, green laterally towards top, central part with fine grey indument and brown spines to 1 cm long, adaxially smooth throughout, cream coloured at base, green and brown towards top; sterile bract clavate, 78 cm x 1 – 3 cm, acute at base, round in cross section, cream coloured at base, green towards top with fine brown to grey indumentum and up to 1 cm long spines. Inflorescence (male anthesis) prophyll 26 x 6 cm otherwise like in inflorescence bud, sterile bract 82 x 5.5 cm (when opened), smooth cream coloured inside (otherwise like in inflorescence bud), peduncle 42 x 1 cm white with brown spines, rachis 36 cm round without spines, rachillae 53, inserted evenly around and along the rachis, 28 – 7 cm long, pointing upwards, flowers all along the rachillae, arranged in triads with one female bud and two male flowers, some in bud some at anthesis, female buds dark brown, male flowers and buds cream coloured. Inflorescence at female anthesis: prophyll 29 x 6 cm otherwise like in inflorescence bud, sterile bract 90 x 5 cm, peduncle 72 x 1.5 cm, rachis 43 cm, rachillae 55, 32 – 9 cm long, wilting in the top (ca. 10 cm), flowers regularly spread around and along the rachilla. Infructescence (young green fruits): prophyll 31 x 6 cm, sterile bract inserted 6 cm from base, 82 x 5 cm, wilted, peduncle 78 x 1.5 cm, rachis 31 cm, rachillae 47, 27 – 8 cm, wilted for 7 – 9 cm apically, fruits liqht green, spherical, symmetrical, to 20 per rachillae. Infructescence (mature fruits): prophyll 33 x 6 cm, sterile bract inserted 5.5 cm from base, 84 cm long, 2.5 cm thick, peduncle 67 x 1.5 cm, rachis 48 cm, rachillae 43, 29 – 10 cm long, wilted for apical 7 – 10 cm; fruits spherical 17 – 18 mm diam., bright red, exocarp thin leathery, mesocarp ca. 1 mm thick fleshy, sweat, endocarp brown hard and bony. Common name: COROZO. Uses: the mesocarp and the endosperm is eaten by local people. The mesocarp may be eaten without preparation.to extract the endosperm the fruit is dried in the sun to take of the exo- and mesocarp. The hard endocarp and the endosperm remain. The endocarp is then cracked to extract the endosperm which has the taste of a coconut.