Afrikanöljypalmu – Elaeis guineensis

Bole is erect, cylindrical, up to 75 cm in diameter, but thicker at the swollen, often inverted cone-like basal part, rough and stout due to adhering petiole bases during the first 12-15 years, slender looking and smooth in older palms. Leaves are arranged spirally, pinnately compound, up to 8 m long, sheathing. Sheath is tubular at first, later disintegrating into an inter woven mass of fibres. Petiole is 1-2 m long, channeled above, bearing spines. Leaf bears 250-350 leaflets, irregularly inserted on the rachis, 35-65 cm × 2-4 cm, pulvinus at base, with thick wax layer on upper surface. Inflorescences are axillary, short and condensed, unisexual, on 30-45 cm long peduncles. Male inflorescence is ovoid ,20-25 cm long, with branches 10-20 cm long, each with 700-1200 closely packed flowers. Female inflorescence is globose, 25-35 cm long, with thick and fleshy branches, each in the axil of a spiny bract, bearing 10-25 spirally arranged flowers and a terminal spine. Globose infructescence weighs 4-60(-90) kg and has 500-3000 tightly packed fruits. Fruit is s globose to elongated or ovoid drupe 2-5 cm long, apex with persistent woody stigma. Exocarp is smooth, shiny, orange-red when ripe. Mesocarp is fibrous, yellow-orange, oily. Endocarp is stony, dark brown, with longitudinal fibres drawn out into a tuft at base, usually 1-seeded. Seed (kernel) has dark brown testa and solid, oily, grey-white endosperm.