Pigafetta filaris (Giseke) Becc.

A very tall palm. It has a single green trunk. The trunk has grey rings. The trunk is 50 m high and 25-40 cm wide. The crown is dense. There is no crown-shaft. The leaves are large and arching. They are 6 m long. The leaf stalks are stout and 2 m long. They have channels above. The leaf bases are broad and sheathing. They have spines in rows across the leaf base. The leaflets are long and fairly broad. The leaflets taper to a fine point. There are spines on the midrib and leaflets. The flowering stalk arises among the leaf bases. Male and female flowers are on separate plants. The flowering stalks are 1.5-2 m long. The small branches hang down. The flowers are white and enclosed in bracts and tufts of hairs. The fruit are small and creamy yellow. They are round and 10-12 mm across. They are covered with scales. The seed is covered with a fleshy seed coat.

A tropical plant. It grows in Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua in Indonesia. It suits hot, moist high rainfall conditions. It grows between 300-1500 m altitude. It grows in newly opened up rainforest. Plants need sunlight when young. In Papua New Guinea it only occurs in Sandaun Province near Vanimo.

Plants are grown from seed. Seed must be fresh. Seeds germinate in under one month.