{{Short description|Species of palm}} {{Speciesbox |image = Raphia australis.jpg |status = VU |status_system = IUCN3.1 |status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 15 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Matimele, H.A. |author2=Massingue, A.O. |author3=Raimondo, D. |author4=Bandeira, S. |author5=Burrows, J.E. |author6=Darbyshire, I. |author7=Timberlake, J. |date=2016 |title=''Raphia australis'' |volume=2016 |article-number=e.T30359A85955288 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T30359A85955288.en |access-date=15 November 2021}}</ref> |genus = Raphia |species = australis |authority = Oberm. & Strey }}
'''''Raphia australis''''', the '''giant palm''', '''Kosi Palm''', or '''rafia''', is a species of [[raffia palm]] in the family [[Arecaceae]]. It is found around [[Kosi Bay]] in southern [[Mozambique]] and northeastern [[KwaZulu Natal]] in [[South Africa]]. It is threatened by [[habitat loss]] caused by drainage of its habitat for agriculture; it is being threatened in the Bobole Special Reserve but is more secure in the Kosi Bay area.
==Description== [[Image:Raphia_australis_03_09_2010.JPG|thumb|left|200px|''Raphia australis'']] ''Raphia australis'' is a large palm with a single trunk, growing to a height of {{convert|24|m|ft|-1|abbr=on}}. The crown of {{cvt|9|m}} leaves<ref>{{cite book | last= Pakenham | first= Thomas| date= 2007 | title= In Search of Remarkable Trees | location= London | publisher= Weidenfeld and Nicolson | pages= 126–127 | isbn= 978-0-297-843801}}</ref> are long and arching, the bases of the leaf stalks sheathing the trunk. The leaves are pinnate, the centre stem or [[rachis]] being robust and brown, while the leaflets have a single fold and are shiny green above and waxy and bluish-green below. The main veins and the margins of the leaflets are spiny. This palm was for a long time thought to be the same species as ''[[Raphia vinifera]]'', but that has proven not to be the case, the most obvious difference being that the flower stems of ''R. australis'' are erect while those of ''R. vinifera'' dangle downwards.<ref name=Brink>{{cite book|author=Brink, M.|author2=Achigan-Dako, E.G.|title=Fibres |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_AspmAgAAQBAJ |year=2012 |publisher=PROTA |isbn=978-92-9081-481-8 |page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_AspmAgAAQBAJ/page/n399 399]}}</ref>
==Distribution and habitat== ''Raphia australis'' is [[Endemism|endemic]] to [[Gaza Province]] in southern Mozambique and near [[Kwangwanase]] at [[Kosi Bay]] in [[KwaZulu Natal]] in South Africa. There are four subpopulations, the largest one being at [[Manhiça District]] in Mozambique where there are about 4,000 mature individuals. This palm grows in swamps, [[Bog|peat bogs]] and seasonally flooded dunes.<ref name="iucn status 15 November 2021" />
==Ecology== ''Raphia australis'' flowers when it is between twenty and forty years old, sets fruit and dies, although the dying process may take up to three years. The tree has specialised aerial roots known as [[pneumatophore]]s to help it to breathe.<ref name="iucn status 15 November 2021" /> The seeds are eaten and dispersed by the [[palm-nut vulture]], which is widespread in other coastal regions of Africa but in southern Africa only occurs in association with this palm.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Gidlow|first=R.M.|year=2002 |title=The history of exchange controls in South Africa|journal=South African Journal of Economic History |volume=17 |issue=1–2 |pages=25–48 |doi=10.1080/10113430209511143 |s2cid=153424887|issn=1011-3436}}</ref>
==References== {{Commons|Raphia australis}} {{Reflist}} *{{cite web |title=''Raphia australis''|work=PlantZAfrica.com|url=http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantqrs/raphiaaust.htm|access-date=2010-02-11}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q5502857}}
[[Category:Raphia (plant)|australis]] [[Category:Trees of South Africa]] [[Category:Flora of Mozambique]] [[Category:Data deficient plants]] [[Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot]]