Etymology: Honoring C. Barter, collector of the type specimen. Literature: Illustrations: Vernacular: Historical notes: Described in 1868 by English botanist - Carruthers. Distinguishing features: Distribution and habitat: A widespread species in seasonally dry tropical forests and woodlands on sandy soils over granites and sandstones in West Africa, in Nigeria, Benin, Ghana and Togo. Conservation: Not listed in the 1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants. Description:
Plants arborescent, or acaulescent; stem 0.3-2.6 m tall, 25-30 cm diam. Leaves 100-180 cm long, light or bright green, flat (not keeled) in section (opposing leaflets inserted at 180° on rachis); rachis green, straight, stiff, not spirally twisted; petiole straight, with 1-6 prickles; leaf-base collar not present; basal leaflets reducing to spines. Leaflets linear to lanceolate, weakly discolorous, not overlapping, not lobed; upper margin heavily toothed (more than 3 teeth); lower margin heavily toothed (more than 3 teeth); median leaflets 9-15 cm long, 10-17 mm wide. Pollen cones 1-3, fusiform, green, 8-23 cm long, 3-5 cm diam. Seed cones 1-3, ovoid, green, 12-35 cm long, 8-15 cm diam. Seeds flattened-ovoid to oblong, 20-30 mm long, 18-23 mm wide,
sarcotesta red.
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