Elaeis guineensis

E. guineensis is a monoecious, erect, one-stemmed palm tree, usually 20Ð30 m high, with an adventitious root system that forms a dense mat in the upper 35 cm of the soil with only a few roots penetrating deeper than 1 m. The stem is cylindrical, up to 75 cm in diameter and covered with petiole bases in young palms, smooth in older trees (10Ð12 years old). Juvenile leaves are lanceolate and entire but gradually becoming pinnate;mature leaves spirally arranged, paripinnate, up to 7.5 m long;petiole 1Ð2 m long, spinescent, clasping the stem at base;leaflets linear, 35Ð65 x 2-4 cm, up to 376 per leaf. Inflorescences are unisexual, axillary, pedunculate, until anthesis enclosed in two fusiform or ovate spathes 10Ð30 cm long, with flowers 3-merous;male ones with numerous cylindrical spikes forming an ovoid body 15Ð25 cm long and bearing flowers with 6 stamens, connate at base, with linear anthers;female ones subglobose, 15Ð35 cm diameter, with numerous lanceolate, spiny bracts, each subtending a cylindrical spikelet with 10Ð20 spirally arranged female flowers, each with two rudimentary male flowers;stigma sessile, 3-lobed. Fruits are ovoid-oblong drupes, 2Ð5 cm long, tightly packed in large ovoid bunches with 1000Ð3000 fruits;drupes with a thin exocarp, an oleiferous mesocarp and a lignified endocarp containing the kernel with embryo and solid endosperm.