Raphia
The genus Raphia is represented by 20 species and consists of hapaxanthic, monoecious palms, with massive, solitary or clustered growth habit; leaves pinnate; inflorescences interfoliar or suprafoliar, branched to 2 orders; fruits covered by imbricate scales.
The genus Raphia is widely distributed in tropical Africa and one species in Madagascar, the latter maybe of introduced origin. The species R. taedigera is present in West Africa (Otedoh, 1977) and tropical America (Henderson, et al., 1995); however, this requires of further study.
Most species in this genus grow in swampland conditions but R. regalis has also been reported on hillslopes in humid tropical rain forest.