Korthalsia hispida

Description

Korthalsia hispida is a spiny, evergreen, climbing palm producing a cluster of slender stems that climb into the surrounding trees. Unbranched in its lower parts, the stem often produces a number of branches in the canopy where it can form considerable entanglements. The stem is very slender towards the base, but new growth gradually thickens, reaching its greatest diameter at the upper end at the time of flowering. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of material for basket making and weaving, possibly also as a food.