Neonicholsonia watsonii

Description

Stems solitary, very shortly aerial, 10-15 (-100) cm long, with prominent roots visible at base. Leaves 4-9, spreading in crown; sheath closed, not forming a crownshaft, 20-30 cm long including a ligule 1-2 cm long; petiole 0.24-1 m long; rachis 1-1.2 m long; pinnae 11-15 per side, regularly spaced, alternate, linear-lanceolate, aristate, horizontally spreading in the same plane, with prominent mid vein, lacking scales and punctations abaxially; basal pinna 22-37 x 0.5-2.5 cm; middle pinnae 32-49 x 2.5-5.5 cm; apical pinna 17-27 x 1-1.5 cm. Inflorescences interfoliar, erect in bud and at anthesis; peduncle 67-98 cm long, 0.5 cm in diam., terete, with a few, brown, appressed scales; prophyll 18-45 cm long, 1.5-2 cm in diam., flattened; peduncular bract 0.7-1 m long including a 2- 3 cm long umbo, 1-1.5 cm in diam., ± terete; rachis absent; rachilla 27-51 cm long, 3 mm in diam.