''Verschaffeltia splendida'' ("Latanier Latte" or stilt palmPalmpedia
/ref>) is a species of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

in the family

Arecaceae The Arecaceae () is a family (biology), family of perennial plant, perennial, flowering plants in the Monocotyledon, monocot order Arecales. Their growth form can be climbing palm, climbers, shrubs, tree-like and stemless plants, all commonly k ...

. It is the only species in the genus ''Verschaffeltia''. It is found only in

Seychelles Seychelles (, ; ), officially the Republic of Seychelles (; Seychellois Creole: ), is an island country and archipelagic state consisting of 155 islands (as per the Constitution) in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city, Victoria, ...

where it is threatened by

habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss or habitat reduction) occurs when a natural habitat is no longer able to support its native species. The organisms once living there have either moved elsewhere, or are dead, leading to a decrease ...

. The name comes from the Belgian Ambroise Verschaffelt.

Description

This species can be distinguished from all other palm species of the Seychelles, by its characteristic stilt-roots. The slender trunk has a very hard outer covering. The leaves are initially unbroken, and those of the young plants have black spines on their stalks. They bear green-brown fruits with unique seeds. File:Verschaffeltia splendida - roots.jpg, The stilt-roots of this species File:Verschaffeltia splendida 2zz.jpg, The black spines that cover the stem and leaves of young plants File:Fata Morgana 2012 Prague Verschaffeltia splendida.jpg, The unbroken young leaves

References

Verschaffeltiinae Trees of Seychelles Conservation dependent plants Endemic flora of Seychelles Monotypic Arecaceae genera Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{palm-stub