It might have been it's extremely large size, or maybe confusion with a similar species, that has previously discouraged botanists from collecting and describing a fairly common palm, now named Raphia zamiana. Locally known and widely used in Cameroon and Gabon, the ''Zam'' has now been officially described, alongside a less common Gabonese endemic species from the same genus and already possibly endangered.
An overlooked giant: Useful and abundant, African ‘Zam’ palm newly described for science
It might have been it's extremely large size, or maybe confusion with a similar species, that has previously discouraged botanists from collecting and describing a fairly common palm, now named R..
