Chrysalidocarpus ifanadianae

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South of Ronamafana, Madagascar. Photo by Gary T. Le Vine.
Dypsis ifanadianae
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Ifanadiana, Madgascar. Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, edric.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Dypsis
Species: ifanadianae
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Africa
Africa.gif
Morphology
Habit: Solitary
Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
None.


Habitat and Distribution

Madagascar. Only known from the Ifanadiana area. Lowland rain forest; steep mid slopes; Alt. 200-450 m.

Description

Slender solitary palm. TRUNK 15-24 m tall, conspicuously stepped and ringed, 18 cm in diam.; internodes 12 cm long, orange-brown with white nodal scars 1.5 cm broad, with age the whole trunk becoming pale grey to almost white; upper internodes green with white scars. LEAVES 7 in the crown, spirally inserted, porrect with pinnae in one plane but curving downwards; sheath 72 cm long, at the base 20 cm wide (when flattened), green, 50-75% open, with minute scattered scales, with brown triangular ligules 5 x 2.3 cm; petiole 30 cm long, proximally 6 x 4 cm, distally 4 x 3 cm, channelled with sharp edges, waxy and with minute scattered scales; rachis about 3 m long, proximally channelled, in mid-leaf 1.4-2.5 cm. in diam., sharply keeled, waxy and ? with minute scattered scales; pinnae regular, about 55 on each side of the rachis, the proximal 90-108 x 1-3 cm, median 104-110 x 4.3-5 cm (interval 4 cm), distal 15-37 x 0.4-2.2 cm, glaucous and glabrous, with attenuate apices, main veins 5, prominent. INFLORESCENCE infrafoliar, with curved peduncle, branched to 3 orders; peduncle 57 cm long, proximally 4 x 2 cm, distally 3 x 2 cm in diam.; prophyll about 89 cm, borne at about 5 cm above the base of the peduncle, 10 cm wide, 2-winged; peduncular bract inserted at 26 cm from the base of the peduncle, 65 cm long, the distal 18 cm closed, beaked for 4 cm; rachis 60 cm long, with about 21 branched and about 16 unbranched first order branches, these proximally 2.8 x 1.6 cm; rachillae 12-33 cm long, 3-4 mm in diam., with distant triads in slight pits, with triangular, entire bracts. STAMINATE FLOWERS unknown. PISTILLATE FLOWERS with imbricate sepals 2.5-3 x 2.5-3.5 mm, orbicular, rounded, slightly spurred at the base; petals 4-4.5 x 3-5 mm, hooded, orbicular with minute acute apex; staminodes 0.8-1.3 mm, flat and narrow; ovary about 3.5 x 4.5 mm, asymmetrical, the stigmas slightly lateral and 1.3 mm high. FRUIT 8 x 7-10 mm; endocarp with anastomosing fibres. SEED transversely ellipsoid, broader in one plane than in the other, 6.5 x 5.5 x 8-9 mm, with homogeneous endosperm. EOPHYLL bifid. Editing by edric.

This species is rather close to D. nauseosa but distinct by its small fruit with homogeneous endosperm. (J. Dransfield and H. Beentje. 1995).

Culture

Comments and Curiosities

A rather slender tree palm reminiscent of D. Lastelliana through the pendulous leaflets, but immediately distinct from that species by its green leaf-sheath. The name comes from the nearest large town and administrative unit. (J. Dransfield and H. Beentje. 1995).

Conservation: Critical. Restricted to a small area, where clearing of forest is continuing apace; less than fifty trees known.

External Links

References

Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos, edric.


Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.

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