Description from
Flora of China
Didymosperma distichum (T. Anderson) J. D. Hooker; Wallichia yomae Kurz.
Stems solitary, to 9 m tall, 15-25 cm in diam. Leaves arranged in 1 or a few planes; petioles 0.5-1.5 m; rachis 1.8-3.5 m; pinnae 45-73 per side of rachis, linear or linear-lanceolate, shallowly lobed, irregularly arranged in clusters of 3-8 pinnae, spreading in different planes; middle pinnae 56-80 × 5-8 cm. Inflorescences unisexual, male and female borne on same stem, female terminal and male lateral; male inflorescences to 1.2 m, pendulous; rachillae to over 1000, to 30 cm; male flowers to 10 mm; stamens 8-15; female inflorescences to 1 m, pendulous; rachillae 40-50, 30-60 cm. Fruits reddish brown, ellipsoid, to 2.2 × 1.5 cm.
The sago extracted from the pith of the stems is eaten in times of famine.
Lowland to montane rain forests, especially in rocky places on steep slopes, often in disturbed areas; below 1200 m. Yunnan [Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand].