Ravenala madagascariensis, commonly known as traveller's tree or traveller's palm, is a species of plant from Madagascar. Actually it isn't a true palm (family Arecaceae) but a member of the bird-of-paradise family, Strelitziaceae. It has been given the name "traveller's palm" because the sheaths of the stems hold rainwater, which supposedly could be used as an emergency drinking supply for needy travellers. However, the water inside the plant is murky, black and smelly and should not be consumed without purification.
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