Solitary tall spineless palm. Trunk to 10 m tall, 20 cm wide, dark grey and closely ringed, base enlarged. Crownshaft green, white or reddish. Emerging leaf erect like a spear. Leaves feather-shaped, arching, 3-4 m long, dark green. Leaflets narrow, crowded, more or less arched and pendulous, regularly arranged and more or less opposite and with 2 thin points. Leaf stalks very short, 15-30 cm long. Flowers unisexual, reddish, fragrant, both sexes on the same plant. Panicles from the base of the crownshaft. Fruit ovoid, purplish-black when mature, 1 seeded.
Mascarene Islands
An isolated species in distribution and relationships, its closest relatives being uncertain. Once common in the wild, now extremely rare. Commonly grown in tropical and subtropical areas, less common in warm temperate climates. Young plants are cold-sensitive and need shelter until well-established. Very wind tolerant.
Source: (2005). Arecaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.
