Chrysalidocarpus canaliculatus

Dypsis (DIP-sis) canaliculata (kah-nah-lik-oo-LAH-tuh)
Mt Warning Caldera. Nth NSW Australia. Photo by Pete.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Dypsis (DIP-sis) Species: canaliculata (kah-nah-lik-oo-LAH-tuh)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Africa
Morphology
Habit: Solitary Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Lopaka (Antankarana); Monimony (Betsimisaraka).

Habitat and Distribution

Endemic to Madagascar. Only known from the Manongarivo area and from near

Mt Warning Caldera. Nth NSW Australia. Pete's daughter Demi for scale, Photo by Pete.

Ampasimanolotra. Forest on sandstone; about 200 m.

Description

The species canaliculata is still a mystery. It has not been verified in habitat, and botanists on there journeys have not encountered it since 1951, and the flowers are unknown to science. The two collections made so far are far apart geographically, but seem to belong to the same taxon. The name was given to indicate that the leaf rachis is channelled in its lower half, but this is not so exceptional as D. tokoravina, and most of the madagascariensis complex have the same trait, here are photos of what is now believed to be D. canaliculata rediscovered, if so then the value of these specimens, cannot be matched by any da Vinci, or Renoir painting. Editing by edric.

Solitary palm. TRUNK 10-15 m high, 30-40 cm. in diam.; nodal scars very visible. LEAVES with sheath about 1 m long, glabrous, whitish-green and waxy; petiole absent; rachis 3-4 m long (fide Perrier) or about 6 m (fide Cours), in mid-leaf 2.5-3.5 cm wide, waxy, channelled adaxially at least proximally, rounded abaxially; pinnae bright green, grouped and fanned within the groups, the group interval 2-3 cm, very many, not stiff, interval 0.2-1.3 cm, proximal not seen, median 75-116 x 2.6-3.1 cm, distal to 13-30 x 0.3-0.8 cm, glaucous, with many ramenta proximally, the ramenta bifid, to 2 mm long, 2-3 mm high, and with minute reddish scales over the entire abaxial surface, main vein 1, apex unequally attenuate. INFLORESCENCE infrafoliar, branched to 2 orders, short and pendulous; parts seen include first (?) order branches with a glabrous rachis of up to 20 cm, proximally up to 1.7 x 0.8 cm. in diam., with up to 8 rachillae; rachillae 35-48 cm long, 5-6 mm. in diam., glabrous, waxy, with distant triads in pits, the rachilla bracts proud, rounded or obtuse. STAMINATE FLOWERS unknown. PISTILLATE FLOWERS unknown.

Culture

Cold Hardiness Zone: 10a

Comments and Curiosities

This species is something of a mystery. It has not been found since 1951, and the flowers are unknown to science. The two collections made so far are far apart geographically, but seem to belong to the same taxon. The name was given to indicate that the leaf rachis is channelled in its lower half, but this is not so exceptional as Jumelle seemed to think! (J. Dransfield and H. Beentje. 1995)/Palmweb.

Conservation: Possibly extinct; not seen since 1951.

Uses: Palm-heart bitter, said to be poisonous by some.

This is a tillering palm, it exhibits saxophone style root growth (it has a heel), keep top third of heel above soil elevation!