Raphia sudanica

Botanical Description

Raphia sudanica is an evergreen palm with a stout stem 2 - 3 metres or more tall. The stem is topped by a rosette of leaves that can each be 12 metres or more long. The plant suckers and can form impenetrable thickets of large extent[ 970 Title The Raphia Palms of West Africa Publication Kew Bulletin Vol. 19 No. 2 Author Russell T.A. Publisher Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London Year 1965 ISBN Description Describing the six known species of Raphia found in west Africa and their uses. ]. The plant is commonly harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. It has sometimes been cultivated, especially in Nigeria[ 970 Title The Raphia Palms of West Africa Publication Kew Bulletin Vol. 19 No. 2 Author Russell T.A. Publisher Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London Year 1965 ISBN Description Describing the six known species of Raphia found in west Africa and their uses. ]. The species is widespread in western Africa. It is, however, widely exploited and its habitat is also threatened by many activities, including the loss of wetlands for crop farming and drought. The level of harvesting is increasing and the population is believed to be decreasing (at an unknown rate). More information is needed on the population decline and impacts of threats before the species can be fully assessed, it may be Near Threatened or Least Concern. The plant is classified as 'Data Deficient' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].