Elaeis guineensis Jacq.

Robust tree palm, in cultivated specimens often flowering while still trunkless.. Trunk to 30 m. tall, usually much less, 30–50 cm. diameter, rarely broader, covered by remains of leaf-bases when young, eventually becoming bare, but in high rainfall areas frequently obscured by epiphytes.. Crown massive, consisting of 40–50 expanded leaves in a 8/13 phyllotaxis. Leaves to 7.5 m. long in well-grown adults; leaf-base long-persistent, with coarse brown fibres and upward pointing fibre-spines to 35 × 5 mm., ± 10 mm. distant, confined to the sheath-margins; petiole to 1.25 m. long, to 20 cm. wide at the base, distally armed with bulbous-based spines to 4 cm. long by 1 cm. wide at the base, 1–5 cm. distant, representing pulvini and midribs of the basal-most leaflets; rachis semicircular in cross-section proximally, tapering above, with 2 lateral grooves or faces; leaflets eventually 100–150 on each side, inserted rather irregularly in 2 planes, the whole leaf hence plumose, to 120 cm. long, 8 cm. wide (in var. idolatrica A. Chev., a rare mutant, the lamina remaining ± entire, not splitting into leaflets).. Inflorescences either male or female, or rarely bearing both male and female, or even more rarely with hermaphrodite flowers, individual palms passing through alternating phases of male and female inflorescence production.. Peduncle of male inflorescence 15–20 cm. long, 5 cm. or more in diameter, densely hairy; rachillae crowded, ± 50 in number, 10–20 cm. long, 1–2 cm. wide, with a bare spine-like tip to 1 cm. long; bracts to 3 × 1.5 mm.. Male flower with 3 chaffy cucullate sepals to 2 × 1.5 mm., and 3 chaffy acute petals to 2 × 1.5 mm.; androecial tube to 2.5 mm. long at anthesis; anthers reflexed, to 1.5 mm. long.. Female inflorescence more massive than the male; rachillae much shorter, the spine-like tip to 2 cm. long.. Female flower accompanied by 2 usually abortive male flowers and 2 bracteoles; sepals ±10× 4 mm. with rounded tips; petals similar to sepals; staminodal ring to 1 mm. high, 6-toothed; ovary ± 5 mm. in diameter; styles and stigmas to 10 mm. long.. Fruit partially enclosed in the enlarged calyx and corolla, tipped by stylar remains, very variable in size, ± 3–5.5 × 2–3 cm., somewhat asymmetrical, usually bright orange with dark red, almost black pigmentation in the exposed upper parts; mesocarp ± 5–10 mm. thick, yellowish, oil-rich; endocarp blackish brown, 2–5 mm. thick.. Seed usually 1 only, 2–3 × 1–1.5 cm. with a thin integument; endosperm homogeneous with a narrow central cavity, oil-rich.. Figs. 10 and 11.

A tropical plant. They need a temperature above 18°C. They suit the hot humid tropics. They grow between 16°N and 15°S in Africa. These palms do well in rich moist soil. A rainfall above 2,000 mm is needed for good production. They need a sunny position. They are drought and frost tender. It grows from sea level to 900 m above sea level. It grows in areas with a mean annual temperature between 27-35°C. It grows in areas with a mean annual rainfall between 2,000-3,000 mm. Plantations are established in West New Britain in Papua New Guinea and palms occur in some other areas of the country. In Cairns Botanical Gardens. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In Yunnan.

The outer layer of the fruits yields an orange cooking oil. The kernel also produces oil. The palm cabbage is edible. The sap tapped from the male flower is used to make wine. The oily fruit are sometimes eaten but can cause nausea. The leaves are burnt and used as a vegetable salt.

They are normally grown from seed in a nursery then transplanted. Because seeds germinate slowly they are treated before planting. The seed are soaked for 7 days then sown into warm ground. Seeds are slow to germinate. Heat treatment is often used to ensure even germination. Seed germinate in 2-5 months under hot conditions. Seed are sown in plastic bags and sometimes a second nursery transplant is used before eventually planting in the field 1.5 to 2 years later. For heat treatment they are heated to about 40°C for for 10-12 weeks and then soaked in cold water for 3 days changing the water each day. They are then dried and allowed to germinate in shade. Plants are usually spaced at 9 m spacing.