Eremospatha dransfieldii

Clustered robust rattan palm climbing to 40 m tall. Stems circular in cross-section, without sheaths, 18-24 mm in diameter, with 25-30 mm; internodes 10-16 cm. Leaf sheath lightly striate, indumentum absent, but sheath often profusely covered with orange-brown scale insects; ocrea entire, obliquely truncate, extending for 1-2 cm above the leaf junction; knee conspicuous, narrowly linear, 2-4 cm long, rather abrupt at base. Leaves sessile, up to 3.5 m long; rachis 1.2-1.5 m long, abaxially rounded, adaxially convex to concave, becoming trapezoid then triangular in cross-section distally, armed along the margins with robust reflexed, bulbous-based, yellow-orange, spines, becoming more sparsely armed distally; cirrus 1.2-1.5 m long, unarmed; leaflets up to 40 on each side of the rachis, inequidistant, opposite to sub-opposite, highly variable in shape, obovate-ellipticus to oblanceolate to rhomboid, obtusely cuneate at base, more or less praemorse at apex, 12-30 cm long by 3.5-5.5 cm broad; lowermost leaflets, smaller than the rest, linear, strap-like or broadly-lanceolate, armed along the margins with robust bulbous-based yellow to orange spines, laxly swept back across, or tightly clasping stem; acanthophylls 3-4 cm long. Flowers and fruits unknown.

Eremospatha dransfieldii is a light demanding species found particularly along forest margins, in gaps after tree fall and along roadsides. The species is restricted to areas of high rainfall ( greater than 2,000 mm) and is locally abundant where it occurs.