Diamond joey palm

The Essence

"Johannesteijsmannia altifrons is a trunkless understorey palm of the wet tropical forests of southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo. It is the most widespread of the four species in its genus; the other three — J. lanceolata, J. magnifica and J. perakensis, all described by John Dransfield in 1972 — are restricted endemics of Peninsular Malaysia. Instead of a visible trunk it has a creeping subterranean stem, from which rises a dense crown of 20 to 30 huge, undivided, pleated, diamond-shaped leaves. LLIFLE lists 'litter collecting palm' among its English names. Its small cream flowers are unusual in scent: Wikipedia records a smell of sour milk, while NParks Singapore describes a strong sweet-and-sour odour. The Malay name Daun payung, 'umbrella leaf', reflects use of the fronds as thatching and as improvised umbrellas; LLIFLE also reports the young endosperm as edible."

Published as Johannesteijsmannia altifrons (Rchb.f. & Zoll.) H.E.Moore in Principes 5: 116 (1961), based on the basionym Teysmannia altifrons Rchb.f. & Zoll., Linnaea 28: 657 (1858). GBIF lists the name as an accepted species in Arecaceae.