Aiphanes minima

This small palm is single-stemmed and can grow to a height of 3 to 6 m, with a diameter of between 6 and 10 cm. Its stem is covered in black spines.

Aiphanes minima has a relatively compact, brilliant green crown made up of long leaves. They are pinnate (resembling bird feathers), have a rachis (central axis), and a spinose petiole that is covered in small, fine spines that are rigid and sharp. Its palm fronds can grow to be 1.2 to 2 m in length.

The fruit from this palm grows in bunches. There are also spines on the rachis of the flowering branched inflorescences.

The fruit are yellow-orange drupes that turn bright red when ripe. They contain small ovoid seeds that are between 8 and 10 mm in diameter. The seeds are a light chestnut colour initially and turn dark brown when dried.

Palms are herbaceous plants. Unlike trees, they don’t form true trunks, as they have no secondary growth which allows the trunk to thicken.