Dypsis singularis
Dypsis (DIP-sis) singularis (sin-goo-LAHR-iss) | |||||||
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Manombo, Madagascar. Photo by Dr. Henk Beentje, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb. | |||||||
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Contents
Habitat and Distribution
Madagascar. Only known from Manombo forest. Lowland rain forest; slope base; Alt. about 45 m.Description
Solitary palm to 6 m. STEM distally about 1.5 cm. in diam; internodes distally about 0.5 cm, nodal scars about 1 mm. LEAVES about 6 in the crown, porrect, pinnate; sheath 9-13 cm long, with scattered reddish scales which are rather dense distally, and auricles to 1 cm long; petiole 0-1.5 cm long, 3-7 x 2-3 mm. in diam., with scattered scales; rachis 40-59 cm long, in mid-leaf 2.5-4 mm wide, with tiny scattered scales; leaflets 3-7 on each side of the rachis, solitary or in groups of 2, group interval 6-16 cm, leaflet interval 0.5-0.8 cm, proximal 8-16 x 0.6-2.2 cm, median 16-25 x 1.5-5 cm, distal 14-19 x 3.5-6 cm, main veins 3-5 (but faint), up to 7 in the distal pair, with scattered scales on the major and minor veins, distal pair joined for 4-8 cm, dentate over a width of 0.5-1.7 cm. INFLORESCENCE interfoliar, branched to 2 orders; peduncle 51-61 cm long, 2.5-3 mm. in diam., glabrous; prophyll 29-37 cm long, 8-18 mm wide, borne at 4-10 cm above the base of the peduncle, open in the distal 1.5-4 cm with scattered scales; peduncular bract inserted at 18-20 cm from the base of the peduncle, 36-41 cm long, open in the distal 3.5-5 cm, with scattered scales; rachis 37-69 cm long, glabrous, with 13-23 branched and 15-23 unbranched first order branches, the proximal to 12.5 cm long and with up to 7 rachillae; rachillae 5-19 cm long, 1 mm. in diam., glabrous. STAMINATE FLOWERS in young bud with sepals 0.5-0.7 x 0.5-0.8 mm; petals 0.8-1.3 x 0.7-0.8 mm; stamens 6, uni- or biseriate, didymous, filaments 0.3 mm long (and possibly connate for mm?), anthers 0.2 x 0.3 mm; pistillode c. 0.3-0.4 x 0.4 mm. PISTILLATE FLOWERS with sepals 0.6-0.7 x 0.6-1 mm; petals 1.2-1.5 x 0.9- mm; staminodes invisible; pistil 1.5-1.6 mm high, about 1.8-1.9 mm. in diam. FRUIT unknown. (J. Dransfield and H. Beentje. 1995)/Palmweb. Editing by edric.
With its few broad, connate leaflets and inflorescence branched to 2 orders it resembles D. commersoniana and D. humbertii but is distinct in the didymous anthers. (J. Dransfield and H. Beentje. 1995)/Palmweb.
Culture
Cold Hardiness Zone: 10a
Comments and Curiosities
A handsome small palm, sadly on its way to extinction. The name indicates that it is a peculiar taxon (due to the didymous stamens on a palm of this habit), as well as the fact that it is known from a single collection from only one site. Nevertheless, it is a distinct species. (J. Dransfield and H. Beentje. 1995)/Palmweb.
Conservation: Critical. Single-site status, in a forest being gradually destroyed by fire, shifting cultivation and logging; numbers low, estimated at less than a hundred. (J. Dransfield and H. Beentje. 1995)/Palmweb.
External Links
References
Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.
Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos.
Special thanks to Palmweb.org, Dr. John Dransfield, Dr. Bill Baker & team, for their volumes of information and photos.
Glossary of Palm Terms; Based on the glossary in Dransfield, J., N.W. Uhl, C.B. Asmussen-Lange, W.J. Baker, M.M. Harley & C.E. Lewis. 2008. Genera Palmarum - Evolution and Classification of the Palms. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. All images copyright of the artists and photographers (see images for credits).
Dransfield, J. & Beentje, H. 1995. The Palms of Madagascar. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and The International Palm Society.
Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.