Raphia vinifera (Arecaceae; Calamoideae): Misidentified for far too long

We clarify the taxonomic identity of R. vinifera. We retrace the taxonomic history of the name and clarify its morphological identity using the literature and type material. We synonymize the name R. mambillensis with R. vinifera. We provide a new detailed morphological description of R. vinifera based on the study of herbarium material and field data. A distribution map is also provided. Raphia vinifera is still incompletely known, and more research should be undertaken on this species' presence and ecology, especially in West Africa.